Bombardier Challenger jet makes emergency landing after cabin door detaches mid-flight

Shortly after departing Abuja for Lagos, a Bombardier Challenger 600 (flight DWC052) sent a mayday distress call because its cabin door had detached in flight. The crew contacted Abuja control at 4.29 pm UTC to ask whether the door could be seen, but the controller could not confirm due to the aircraft’s position. Controllers ordered the jet to return, and it landed safely on runway 22 at roughly 4.34 pm UTC, 14 minutes after the emergency call.

After touchdown, the duty controller noted the door was missing from the aircraft. A video showing a door recovered by farmers in an Abuja field has been shared online, but officials have not confirmed it belongs to the jet. Triton Aviation, the operator, and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria have been approached for comment, while the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau is leading the probe.