A Cessna 172 aircraft operated by Skypower Express crashed on Tuesday evening while making an emergency diversion to the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, with all four persons on board surviving the incident.
The aircraft, registered as 5N-ASR, had departed Kaduna International Airport en route to Port Harcourt before the crew declared an emergency and diverted to Owerri. The crash occurred around 8:00 p.m. local time in the approach area of Runway 17.
Confirming the incident, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) said it was notified immediately and activated its emergency and investigation protocols. According to the Bureau, airport emergency services responded promptly, and there was no post-crash fire. The runway remained active, allowing other scheduled flights to operate without disruption.
NSIB Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance, Mrs. Bimbo Oladeji, said recovery efforts were underway to evacuate the aircraft from the crash site to enable a detailed technical examination.
The Director-General of the NSIB, Captain Alex Badeh Jr., expressed relief that no lives were lost and sympathised with Skypower Express over the incident. He confirmed that investigators have been deployed and are coordinating with relevant authorities to secure the site and determine the cause of the crash.
The Owerri incident comes just two days after a separate aviation occurrence at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, where a private jet operated by Flybird Aviation crash-landed during an approach on Sunday morning. Eleven occupants, including passengers and crew, were safely evacuated following the incident, which drew an emergency response at the runway. Investigations into that event are also ongoing.
The NSIB reiterated its commitment to thorough, safety-focused investigations aimed at identifying risks and preventing future occurrences in Nigeria’s aviation sector.
