By Nigeria Magazine Aviation Desk | July 23, 2026
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, has confirmed a runway excursion involving an Enugu Air aircraft at Benin Airport, Edo State, on Thursday morning.
According to Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the NCAA, the aircraft skidded off the runway shortly after landing.
“They had a runway excursion. Yes, there was this skid off the runway after landing. Everybody is safe. There was no injury to any passenger. All passengers came out. Passengers and crew came out safe,” Achimugu say.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, also confirmed the incident. An FAAN official who spoke on condition of anonymity described it as a runway excursion. As of press time, the exact cause of the incident has not been determined and investigations are expected to follow standard NCAA procedures.
Key Details:
- Airline: Enugu Air, the Enugu State-owned carrier
- Location: Benin Airport, Edo State
- Date: Thursday, July 23, 2026
- Outcome: No injuries reported. All passengers and crew disembarked safely
- Aircraft status: Details of aircraft type and registration were not released
Runway excursions are among the incident types the NCAA routinely investigates to determine contributing factors such as weather, runway conditions, braking performance, and crew procedures.
Background
Enugu Air commenced commercial operations on July 7, 2025, as part of Enugu State’s push to expand regional connectivity. The airline has been operating domestic routes since launch.
Aviation safety protocols require the NCAA to secure the incident site, retrieve flight data, and issue a preliminary report in the coming days. Benin Airport operations were not reported to have been shut down following the incident.
Nigeria Magazine will provide updates as the NCAA releases further findings.
