NCAA suspends Max Air over safety concern

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has suspended from operations all Boeing B737 aircraft of domestic carrier, Max Air.

The suspension is expected to take immediate effect.

This js according to a letter by the regulator to the domestic airline.

The letter was dated July 12, 2023 and marked NCAA/DG/AIR/11/16/363. It was titled, ‘Suspension of Parts A3 and D43 of the Operations Specifications Issued to Max Air with Immediate Effect’.

The letter was signed by NCAA Director of Operations, Training and Licensing, Capt. Ibrahim Bello Dambazau, on behalf of NCAA Director General, Capt. Musa Nuhu.

This implies tha all domestic flights of the airline will be grounded until further notice.

The letter read, “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 (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 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 authority has constituted a team of inspectors to conduct an audit of your organization. The result of this audit, it said, must be found satisfactory by the Authority prior to considering the restoration of the privileges of the operations Specifications to your organisation to further operate the aircraft type.”