The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has grounded a Rano Air aircraft with registration number 5N-BZY following a mid-flight engine failure that forced an emergency return to Kano during a scheduled flight to Sokoto.
In a statement released on Monday, the NCAA confirmed that the Rano Air aircraft experienced an in-flight malfunction, prompting the crew to alert Air Traffic Control and initiate an emergency air return. Panic reportedly broke out among passengers and crew after smoke was seen in both the cabin and flight deck.
According to the Directorate of Airworthiness, led by Victor Foyea, standard emergency procedures were promptly activated. Oxygen masks were deployed as a precaution, and emergency services were placed on standby ahead of landing.
“The Rano aircraft 5N-BZY experienced a failure on its engine 1. Smoke was noticed in the cabin and flight deck. Oxygen masks were donned. The appropriate safety protocols were initiated on the ground for landing. Smoke dissipated. The pilot safely landed the aircraft without incident,” the NCAA said.
Thankfully, no injuries or casualties were reported, and the flight landed safely back at Kano Airport. The Sokoto-bound flight that the aircraft was scheduled to operate next was immediately cancelled.
As a safety measure, the NCAA ordered the grounding of the aircraft pending a full investigation into the cause of the engine failure. Engineers are currently carrying out diagnostic checks and repairs.
The regulatory authority emphasized that safety remains its utmost priority, noting that grounding flights at the first sign of mechanical irregularity is standard protocol — even in more advanced aviation systems.
“Even more advanced countries experience air incidents. But in Nigeria, flights are grounded or cancelled at the slightest indication of safety concerns. Safety remains our top priority,” the statement added.
