Safety: NCAA Suspends Max Air Indefinitely
…Recorded 4 incidents between May and July this year alone
Following four incidences involving Max Air Boeing 737 between May and July this year alone, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on Thursday slammed an indefinite suspension on all of the airline Boeing B737 aircraft type.
The incidences were recorded Abuja, Kano and Yola, the Adamawa State capital.
In a letter announcing the suspension of Max Air with reference number; NCAA/DG/AIR/11/16/363, which was signed by Director of Operations, Training & Licensing of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Ibrahim Bello Dambazau, on behalf of the Director General, stated that the Authority hereby suspends Part A3 (Aircraft Authorization and D43 (Aircraft Listing) of the Operations Specifications issued to Max Air Ltd with regards to the operation of the Boeing B737 aircraft type.
The letter specifically states: “The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) hereby suspends Parts A3 (Aircraft Authorization) and D43 (Aircraft Listing) of the Operations Specifications issued to Max Air Ltd. with regards to the operations of the Boeing B737 aircraft type in your fleet.
“With the above suspension, you are to immediately suspend the operations of all Boeing B737 aircraft in your fleet.”
Parts A3 of NCAA regulations deals with the airline’s Aircraft Authorization and D43 deals with Aircraft Listing of the Operations Specifications issued to Max Air Ltd”.
The NCAA detailed all the occurrences involving Max Air Boeing B737 aircraft which led to its action to include;
- Loss of Number 1 Main Landing Gear (MLG) wheel during the serious incident involving a Boeing 737-400 aircraft, registration marks 5N-MBDwhich occurred between Take-off at Yola Airport, Adamawa State and on landing at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja Nigeria on 7th May, 2023;
- Fuel Contamination of the main fuel tanks of aircraft B737-300, Registration Marks; 5N-MHM, leading to the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) shutdown on ground Yola Airport on the 7th of July, 2023;
- Aborted take-off of Boeing 737-400 aircraft, registration marks 5N-MBD, which occurred at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) due to high Exhaust Gas Temperature (EGT) indication on the 11th of July, 2023;
- An air return by aircraft B737-300, Registration Marks; 5N-MHM to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) due to duct overheat indication in the cockpit on the 11th of July, 2023.
The NCAA stated that with the development, a team of inspectors was constituted to conduct an audit on Max Air, saying that the outcome of the audit if satisfactory, would determine whether the suspended aircraft type will return to operation or not.
