NSIB faults cabin crew medical certificate after jet door incident

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has faulted the medical certification of a cabin crew member aboard a private jet whose main cabin door detached mid-flight, calling for tighter regulatory supervision of operators holding permits for non-commercial flights.

The bureau said the sole cabin crew member on the Bombardier Challenger 604 aircraft operated by Triton Aviation Limited did not have a valid medical certificate when the incident occurred on October 15, 2026.
In its preliminary report released on Thursday, the NSIB recommended that the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority immediately strengthen safety oversight of Permit for Non-Commercial Flight holders that engage cabin crew for safety-related duties.

It also urged Triton Aviation to ensure that all crew members deployed for flight operations meet regulatory requirements for licensing, qualifications and competence, particularly in handling safety and emergency responsibilities.

The incident involved the aircraft, with registration number T7-SEI and flight identification DWC052, which was travelling from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, to the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.

According to the report, the aircraft departed Abuja at about 5.17pm with nine people on board, comprising two pilots, one cabin crew member and six passengers.
During the initial climb, the captain noticed an unusual increase in cabin altitude of about 4,000 feet per minute, raising concerns about a possible pressurisation problem.

The captain instructed the cabin crew member to check the main cabin door, first from her seat and later at close range.
However, as she approached the door, it suddenly opened and detached from the aircraft.
The report said the flight crew declared an emergency at 5.19pm and sent a MAYDAY call to Abuja Radar Control, reporting that the aircraft's door was open.

The captain took control of the aircraft while the first officer handled pilot-monitoring duties. Following coordination with air traffic controllers, the aircraft was cleared to return to Abuja.
It landed safely on Runway 22 at about 5.34pm, with all nine occupants escaping uninjured. The passengers and crew subsequently disembarked using an improvised ladder.
The detached door was later recovered from a cornfield in Gui village, about five miles south-west of the airport.

Initial examination by the NSIB showed that the door indicator displayed an unlocked or red warning, while both the internal and external handles were in the open position. The door-locking mechanisms were also found in the open position.

The bureau noted that the aircraft had valid certificates of airworthiness, non-commercial flight permit, flight operations clearance and maintenance clearance at the time of the incident.

It stressed that the investigation was ongoing, with further examinations to include metallurgical tests and detailed assessments of the detached door, its components and locking mechanisms to determine whether structural or mechanical failure contributed to the occurrence.