Bombardier Challenger jet makes emergency landing in Nigeria after door detaches

A Bombardier Challenger CL60 private jet was forced to make an emergency landing in Abuja, Nigeria, after its entrance door detached from the fuselage during flight. The incident occurred on Thursday afternoon, October 15, shortly after flight DWC052 departed from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport en route to Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.

The pilot issued a ‘Mayday’ distress signal at approximately 16:20 local time while the aircraft was climbing at an altitude of about 3,000 feet. The loss of the door posed immediate risks of rapid cabin decompression and structural compromise. Following the emergency declaration, air traffic control facilitated an immediate return to Abuja, where the aircraft landed safely roughly 15 minutes after the distress call.

Post-landing inspections confirmed the door had completely separated from the aircraft. The missing component was later recovered from agricultural land on the outskirts of the city. The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and the Nigerian Office of Flight Safety Investigation have launched inquiries to determine the cause of the detachment.