By Peter Adelowo
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, has grounded Max Air for three months following an incident involving one of its aircraft in Kano on Tuesday night.
A Boeing 737-400, registered 5N-MBD, suffered a tyre burst while landing at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport around 10:51 p.m. on January 28, 2025. While all 53 passengers on board were safely evacuated, the aircraft was temporarily grounded, delaying operations until the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) reopened the runway by 8:00 a.m. the following day.
This incident marks the third involving Max Air in the last three months, prompting increased scrutiny from aviation authorities.
In response, the NCAA has announced that it will collaborate with the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) to investigate the cause of the tyre burst.
The NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, confirmed that the investigation would help determine the root cause of the incident.
Achimugu also revealed that the NCAA has been conducting ongoing risk assessments of scheduled operators, including Max Air.
In the wake of this latest incident, Max Air has decided to suspend all domestic flights for a period of three months, starting at midnight on January 31, 2025.
“This suspension will allow the airline to review its internal operations.During this time, the NCAA will conduct a comprehensive safety and financial audit of Max Air.
The safety audit will assess the airline’s personnel, procedures, and aircraft compliance with aviation regulations, while the financial audit will evaluate the airline’s economic stability to ensure safe operations.
The resumption of Max Air’s domestic flights will be contingent on the successful completion of these audits.
The NCAA acknowledged that the suspension may cause inconvenience to passengers but emphasized that safety remains the highest priority.
The public has been urged to remain patient as the necessary safety measures are put in place.
