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A private jet returning to Abuja after a mid-air door incident issued a desperate distress call at 3,000 feet. The aircraft landed safely, but the missing door turned up somewhere unexpected.
Nigeria private jet loses door mid-flight, makes emergency landing after mayday call. (Representative photo)
Oct 18, 2026 17:34 IST
A private jet was forced to make an emergency landing in Nigeria after losing a door mid-flight shortly after takeoff, with the crew issuing a “mayday, mayday, mayday” distress call as the aircraft climbed to around 3,000 feet.
The incident occurred on Thursday, October 15, at approximately 4:20 pm, shortly after the Triton Aviation-operated aircraft took off from Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja, according to local Nigerian reports.
The aircraft was heading to Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos, a flight of a little over an hour from Abuja, when a crew member alerted air traffic control that a door had opened mid-flight.
According to an incident report obtained by The Punch, the crew member transmitted the distress call as the plane climbed to approximately 3,000 feet. Air traffic control then directed the aircraft back to Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport.
The plane landed safely approximately 14 minutes after the distress call, The Punch reported.
DOOR FOUND ON NEARBY FARMLAND
Fire and emergency crews were waiting for the aircraft when it returned to the airport. Airport employees subsequently observed that the door was completely missing, according to the reports.
The missing door was later recovered on nearby farmland, Gulf News, Sahara Reporters and The Punch reported.
No injuries were reported following the incident. However, it was not immediately clear how many people were aboard the aircraft when the door was lost.
The aircraft was identified as a CLSO, a midsize-to-large private aircraft commonly used for corporate, charter and private travel, according to the reports.
INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY
Nigeria's aviation accident investigators have launched an investigation to determine what caused the incident, as per the reports.
Investigators are examining whether the door was lost because of a mechanical failure, a maintenance issue or another factor. The cause has not yet been determined.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, which oversees Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, also did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's requests for comment.
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