NCAA Suspends Max Air Indefinitely

By Akinwale Kasali

Max Airline, one of the  domestic Airlines in Nigeria has been suspended indefinitely by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA.

In a statement on Thursday, July 13th, 2023, the NCAA stated that it ordered the suspension of Parts A3 and D43 with regards to the operation of Max Air Boeing 737 Aircraft type with immediate effect.

The letter dated July 12, 2023 and marked NCAA/DG/AIR/11/16/363, was titled, ‘Suspension of Parts A3 and D43 of the Operations Specifications Issued to Max Air with Immediate Effect’. It was signed by the NCAA Director of Operations, Training and Licensing, Capt. Ibrahim Bello Dambazau, on behalf of NCAA Director General, Capt. Musa Nuhu.

By implication, all domestic flights of the airline will be on hold until the suspension is lifted.

The letter reads 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 (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, 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.”