NCAA Suspends Max Air B737 Aircraft Type Over Safety Issues
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July 13, (THEWILL) – With four occurrences recorded in 2023 alone by Max Air involving its Boeing 737 aircraft, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has placed a suspension on all the airline’s Boeing 737 aircraft.
The occurrences were recorded between May and July 2023 in Abuja, Kano and Yola.
A letter of suspension to the airline signed by the Director, Operations Training & Licensing, Captain Ibrahim Bello Dambazau, on behalf of the Director General, Civil Aviation, reads in part: “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 deals with the airline’s Aircraft Authorization and D43 deals with Aircraft Listing of the Operations Specifications issued to Max Air Ltd.
The letter made available to THEWILL also detailed all the occurrences involving its Boeing 737 aircraft, which led to the Authority’s action.
Some of these occurrences, according to the NCAA, include loss of number 1 Main Landing Gear (MLG) wheel during the serious incident involving a Boeing 737-400 aircraft, registration marks 5N-MBD, which occurred between take-off at Yola Airport, Adamawa State, and on landing at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Nigeria, on May 7, 2023.
Another was fuel contamination of the main fuel tanks of aircraft B737-300, registration marks 5N-MHM, leading to the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) shut down on the ground at Yola Airport on July 7, 2023.
Others are the 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 July 11, 2023, and 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 July 11, 2023.
The letter also disclosed that, with the development, a team of inspectors has been constituted to conduct an audit on Max Air and the outcome of the audit, if satisfactory, will determine whether the suspended aircraft type will return to operation or not.
