NCAA grounds Rano Air plane over mid-air engine failure, fire scare

In order to protect air travellers and avert further incident, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) said it has grounded a Rano Air plane after a mid-air engine failure and fire scare.

The NCAA disclosed that the Kano-Sokoto bound flight operated by the airline made an air return, following the incident that occurred Sunday, June 29, 2025.

It was gathered that the fire scare was noticed on the flight deck, a situation which created panic among passengers on board.

Speaking on the incident, Michael Achimugu, Spokesman of NCAA, confirmed that the pilots of the affected plane marked 5N-BZY reported the occurrence to the air traffic controllers, and that they immediately activated the necessary measures for 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. Pilot safely landed the aircraft without incident.”

He added: “The NCAA Directorate of Airworthiness instructed that the aircraft 5N-BZY remain grounded until the conclusion of investigations.”