NSIB Releases Preliminary Report On Abuja Aircraft Door Separation

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), has released its preliminary investigation report on the in-flight separation of a passenger-cabin door from a Bombardier Challenger 604 aircraft operated by Triton Aviation Limited in Abuja.

The incident, which occurred on October 15, 2026, involved an aircraft with registration number T7-SEI, operating a non-scheduled flight from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, to Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

The aircraft, operating as flight DWC052, had nine persons on board, comprising two pilots, one cabin crew member and six passengers.

According to the preliminary report released on Wednesday, the incident occurred during the aircraft’s initial climb, when the flight crew noticed an abnormal increase in cabin altitude and suspected a pressurisation problem.

The captain subsequently instructed the cabin crew to check the main cabin door. However, as the cabin crew approached the passenger-crew door to inspect it, the door opened and detached from the aircraft.

Following the development, the pilots declared an emergency and contacted Abuja Air Traffic Control for an immediate return to the airport.

The aircraft subsequently landed safely on Runway 22 at approximately 5:34pm, about 15 minutes after the incident, with all nine occupants disembarking without injuries.

Although no lives were lost and no occupant sustained injuries, the aircraft suffered substantial damage.

The NSIB said it deployed investigators to the scene immediately after receiving notification of the incident on the same day, with an initial focus on locating and recovering the detached door.

The door was later recovered from a cornfield in Gui Village, Abuja Municipal Area Council, approximately five miles southwest of the airport.

The Bureau explained that the preliminary report contains factual information established so far, including initial findings from available evidence and immediate safety recommendations arising from safety issues identified during the investigation.

It, however, stressed that the report does not contain any analysis or conclusions on the cause of the incident or factors that may have contributed to it, as investigations are still ongoing.

The NSIB, in a statement signed by its director-general and chief executive officer, Captain Alex Badeh Jr. said a final report containing the investigation’s analysis, conclusions and additional safety recommendations, where necessary, would be released upon completion of the investigation.

The Bureau said the investigation was being conducted in accordance with Annex 13 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation.