A chartered aircraft operated by Sky Power Kaduna crashed on Tuesday night at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport (SMICA), Owerri, Imo State, leaving two occupants in critical condition.
The aircraft, a Cessna 172 with call sign ASR and registration number 5N-SKR, reportedly crash-landed at about 8:00 p.m. near the threshold of Runway 17. A staff member of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the plane was en route from Kaduna to Port Harcourt when the incident occurred.
According to the source, four persons were on board the aircraft at the time of the crash. Two of the occupants sustained severe injuries and were immediately evacuated to the Nigerian Air Force Hospital located close to the airport.
Confirming the incident in a statement, the Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance at the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), Mrs. Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji, said the bureau had been formally notified of the accident involving a Cessna 172 aircraft, registration number 5N-ASR, operated by Skypower Express.
She explained that the aircraft had departed Kaduna International Airport for Port Harcourt International Airport but declared an emergency mid-flight, forcing a diversion to Owerri. The aircraft subsequently crashed in the approach area of Runway 17.
Oladeji noted that there were no fatalities recorded as of the time of the report. She added that airport emergency responders were promptly deployed, with no post-crash fire recorded. She also confirmed that the runway remained operational, as other aircraft were able to take off safely after the incident.
Efforts, she said, are ongoing to evacuate the damaged aircraft from the crash site to enable a thorough examination of the wreckage, while NSIB has activated its investigation protocols in line with its mandate.
Also reacting, the Director-General of the NSIB, Captain Alex Badeh Jr., expressed sympathy to the management of Skypower Express and relief that no lives were lost.
“We express our deepest sympathies to the management of Skypower Express and are glad that no fatalities have been reported so far. The NSIB has activated its protocols, and our team is already coordinating with relevant authorities to secure the site. Further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses,” he said.
