The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, has suspended all operations of Max Air’s Boeing 737 aircraft in the fleet of Max Air over safety concerns after a series of incidents.
The suspension which was conveyed, in a letter with reference number, NCAA/DG/AIR/11/16/363, titled, “Suspension of Parts A3 and D43 of the Operations Specifications Issued to Max Air with Immediate Effect”, and addressed to the airline’s Managing Director, stated that it has suspended Parts A3 and D43 with regards to the operation of Max Air’s Boeing 737 aircraft type with immediate effect.
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, signed by Director of Operations Training & Licensing for the Director General of Civil Aviation, Ibrahim Bello Dambazau, read in part: “The Authority’s action is due to the several occurrences that involved your Boeing B737 aircraft as listed hereunder:
“Loss of number 1 Main Landing Gear 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 shutdown on ground Yola Airport on the 7th of July, 2023”.
Other occurrences as stated in the letter include an aborted take-off of Boeing 737-400 aircraft, registration marks 5N-MBD, which occurred at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport due to high Exhaust Gas Temperature indication on the 11th of July, 2023.
And an air return by aircraft B737-300, Registration Marks; 5N-MHM to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport due to duct overheat indication in the cockpit on the 11th of July, 2023.
The NCAA following the letter of suspension has constituted a team of inspectors to conduct an audit of your Max Air.
The result of this audit, it stated, must be found satisfactory by the authority prior to considering the restoration of the privileges of the operations specifications to the airline to further operate the aircraft type.
