NCAA suspends Max Air domestic operations over ‘contaminated fuel, high exhaust’

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has indefinitely suspended the operations of all Boeing 737 aircraft of domestic carrier, Max Air, over unsafe occurrences. 

This was contained in a letter dated July 12, 2023, and marked NCAA/DG/AIR/11/16/363.

The suspension is with immediate effect. 

The letter which was titled, ‘suspension of parts A3 and D43 of the operations specifications issued to Max Air with immediate effect’, was signed by Ibrahim Dambazau, NCAA director of operations, training and licensing, on behalf of Musa Nuhu, its director general. 

“The authority’s action is due to the several occurrences that involved your Boeing B737 aircraft as listed hereunder,” the letter reads. 

“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.

“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 at Yola Airport on July 7, 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  July 11, 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 organisation.

“The result of this audit 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.”

TheCable recently reported that Max Air was one of the domestic airlines with the highest number of delayed flights in the first quarter of 2023.

The airline recorded 1,565 flights with 1,013 delayed.