The investigation into the serious incident involving a Bombardier Challenger 601-3A aircraft operated by VMO Aero Limited has been constrained by the unserviceability of the Asaba Airport tower voice recording system, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has said.

The bureau’s preliminary report released on Friday said the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) confirmed that the tower voice recording system was not functioning during the period of the June 10, 2026, incident on the roadway in Asaba, Delta State.

Searches of the report on the website of NSIB by The Guardian indicated that because of the failure of the recording system, available Air Traffic Control (ATC) communications had to be reconstructed from operational records, limiting access to recorded communications that could have provided valuable information for the ongoing investigation.

The incident involved aircraft with the registration number: N989BC, which was conducting an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight from Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, to Asaba Airport, Delta State.

The aircraft, during its approach into Asaba, according to the report, landed on a paved roadway under construction near the airport instead of the designated Runway 11.

The report read in part: “Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) reported that the Asaba Tower voice recording system was unserviceable during the period of the occurrence.

“Consequently, the available communications record had to be reconstructed from operational records, thereby limiting the availability of recorded communications relevant to the investigation.”

The preliminary report, however, established that the occurrence was survivable, with all seven persons on board, including four crew members and three passengers escaping without injuries.

NSIB said the aircraft’s fuselage integrity was not compromised, while the cockpit and cabin maintained a liveable volume.

It added that restraint systems, including seat belts and shoulder harnesses, remained intact throughout the occurrence.

Following the landing, the aircraft was shut down and inspected before passengers disembarked, the report said, while the aircraft later departed the roadway and returned to Lagos.

A post-flight examination conducted after the aircraft arrived at the Lagos airport identified damage to the number one nose-wheel assembly, which was subsequently recorded in the aircraft technical log.