A private jet operated by Triton Aviation has lost a door mid-air, forcing its crew to declare an emergency and return to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, shortly after take-off. The CL60 aircraft, with registration number T7-SEI, was travelling from Abuja to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on…...
A private jet operated by Triton Aviation has lost a door mid-air, forcing its crew to declare an emergency and return to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, shortly after take-off.
The CL60 aircraft, with registration number T7-SEI, was travelling from Abuja to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Thursday when the incident occurred.
According to an air traffic control incident report obtained by The Guardian, the aircraft departed Abuja at 4:17 p.m. UTC and was about three nautical miles from the airport, climbing through 3,000 feet, when the crew issued a “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday” distress call at 4:20 p.m.
The crew reported that a door had opened during flight, prompting the approach radar controller to direct the aircraft back to Abuja for an emergency landing on Runway 22.
Following the distress call, the airport’s fire watch room and medical team were alerted and placed on standby, while emergency personnel were directed to designated positions, A4 and A5.
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The report said the crew later asked the control tower whether air traffic controllers could see the open door.
“At about 4:29 p.m. UTC, while in contact with the Abuja control tower, the crew asked whether air traffic controllers could confirm if the door was open,” the report stated.
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The duty air traffic controller attempted to inspect the aircraft with binoculars but could not establish the door’s condition because of the aircraft’s position.
The aircraft landed safely on Runway 22 at approximately 4:34 p.m. UTC, about 14 minutes after the distress call.
However, the report said the controller observed after landing that the door was missing from the aircraft’s fuselage.
The jet was subsequently taxied to the international apron extension, where it was parked with the assistance of a marshaller.
Meanwhile, a video circulating on social media purportedly showed farmers displaying the missing aircraft door after finding it on a farm in Abuja.
In the footage, a man whose identity could not be independently established said the item was discovered as the farmers returned from their farm.
“This is what we found as we were returning from our farm. It fell from a plane, but we don’t know much about its identity. As I am sending it to you, sir, just check it,” the man said.