The Federal Government, through the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), has announced the suspension of Max Air’s operations following an incident involving one of its aircraft in Kano on Tuesday night,Daily Trust reports.
A Max Air Boeing 737-400, registered as 5N-MBD, suffered a tyre burst while landing at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport on January 28, 2025, at approximately 10:51 PM.
This marks the airline’s third incident in three months. While all 53 passengers on board were safely evacuated, the aircraft was temporarily grounded before the runway was reopened by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) at 8:00 AM on Wednesday.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has launched an investigation into the occurrence, with the NCAA pledging its full support.
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In a statement confirming the incident, NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, emphasized that the specific cause of the incident would only be determined after the NSIB’s investigation.
Achimugu also noted that the NCAA had been conducting organizational risk assessments for all scheduled operators, including Max Air, and that this process was nearing completion.
“However, as a result of this incident, Max Air will suspend its domestic flight operations for three months, effective from midnight on January 31, 2025, to allow its management to conduct an internal review of operations,” he stated.
During this period, the NCAA will conduct a comprehensive safety and economic audit of Max Air.
“The safety audit will involve a thorough inspection of Max Air’s organization, procedures, personnel, and aircraft, as outlined in Part 1.3.3.3(b) of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations,” Achimugu explained. “The economic audit will assess the airline’s financial health to ensure it can sustain safe flight operations.”
He added that Max Air’s return to domestic flight operations would be contingent on the successful completion of these audits.
“The NCAA recognizes the inconvenience this may cause to Max Air’s passengers but emphasizes that passenger safety and well-being remain the top priority. We appeal for patience and understanding as we take necessary steps to uphold aviation safety and protect passenger rights,” the statement concluded.
