• Passenger plane loses engine after departing Abuja for Katsina

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has ordered the grounding of Rano Air aircraft with registration number 5N-BZY.

The decision followed an incident involving the aircraft which reportedly lost one engine during an Abuja-Katsina flight.

It was revealed that the NCAA took the decision in line with strict enforcement of aviation safety protocol across all carriers operating in Nigerian airspace.

It was gathered that the aircraft experienced a malfunction on engine 1 during the fligth.

Smoke was observed in the cabin and cockpit.

In response, the flight crew immediately activated oxygen masks and all appropriate emergency procedures to prepare for safe landing.

Sources said the smoke disappeared prior to landing, and the aircraft was safely landed without further incident.

The incident caused disruption in the airline schedule as it affected travelers scheduled to depart from Sokoto to another destination were stranded.

A rescue aircraft had already boarded Abuja–Katsina passengers while the Sokoto leg of the operation was cancelled.

A preliminary report by the NCAA indicated that the Directorate of Airworthiness instructed that aircraft be grounded pending full safety investigations.

“Engineers are currently examining the aircraft on the ground to determine the root cause of the engine issue and smoke,” the report added.

Meanwhile, NCAA reiterated that it will not compromise on aviation safety protocol compliance, even when disruptions inconvenience flight operations.

The Authority stated that Nigerian aviation’s safety record remains solid, despite the challenges of operating in a developing environment.

According to NCAA, countries with more advanced aviation infrastructure still report more severe incidents than Nigeria experiences.

This, the Authority emphasized, is because in Nigeria, flights are cancelled at the slightest indication of a safety-related concern.

It added that its current actions align with global best practices and international regulatory benchmarks in civil aviation oversight.

The NCAA has promised to release further updates on the incident once investigations into aircraft 5N-BZY are concluded.

Passengers affected by the cancellation are expected to be accommodated in line with Rano Air’s obligations under consumer protection laws. (Daily Trust)