NCAA Grounds Rano Air Plane After Mid-Air Engine Failure

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has grounded a Rano Air plane after a mid-air engine failure and a fire scare.

The aviation regulator noted that the Kano-Sokoto bound flight operated by the airline made an air return following the incident on Sunday, June 29, 2025.

The fire scare was noticed on the flight deck and created panic among passengers.

NCAA spokesman Michael Achimugu said the pilots of the plane marked 5N-BZY reported the incident to air traffic controllers, and necessary steps were activated for an emergency landing.

Achimugu said, “The Rano aircraft 5N-BZY experienced a failure in its engine.

“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 Directorate of Airworthiness instructed that the aircraft 5N-BZY remain grounded until the conclusion of investigations.”

The NCAA spokesman said the aircraft that was supposed to airlift passengers out of Sokoto had already boarded Abuja-Katsina passengers. It would have created problems for deboarding those passengers. The flight out of Sokoto was, therefore, cancelled.

“5N-BYZ is still on the ground with engineers working on it.

“The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, prioritizes safety. The records are clear. More advanced countries have worse air incidents than Nigeria because, here, flights will get cancelled if there is the slightest concern about safety,” he said.