JUST IN: NCAA Suspends Domestic Operations Of Max Air Indefinitely

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has suspended domestic operations of one of Nigeria’s leading airlines, Max Air.

The suspension was contained in a letter NCAA/DG/AIR/11/16/363.

It directed the suspension of Parts A3 and D43 with regards to the operation of Max Air’s Boeing 737 aircraft type with immediate effect.

Parts A3 deals with the airline’s Aircraft Authorization and D43 deals with Aircraft Listing of the Operations Specifications issued to Max Air Ltd.

By implications, the airline’s domestic operations would be halted pending when the regulatory agency lifts the suspension.

“The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) hereby suspends Parts A3 (Aircraft Authorization) and D43 (Aircraft Listing) of the Operations Specifications issued to Max Air Ltd. with regards to the operations of the Boeing B737 aircraft type in your fleet.

“With the above suspension, you are to immediately suspend the operations of all Boeing B737 aircraft in your fleet.

“The Authority’s action is due to the several occurrences that involved your Boeing B737 aircraft as listed hereunder,” read the letter signed by Director, Operations Training & Licensing, Captain Ibrahim Bello Dambazau, for Director General of Civil Aviation, Capt. Musa Nuhu.

The letter listed the occurrences to include the Loss of Number 1 Main Landing Gear (MLG) wheel during the serious incident involving a Boeing 737-400 aircraft, registration marks 5N-MBDwhich occurred between Take-off at Yola Airport Adamawa State and on landing at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja Nigeria on 7th May 2023;

Another incident was 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.

The third incident was the 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.

Lastly, 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.

According to NCAA, it had constituted a team of inspectors to conduct an audit of Max Air.

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.

In other news, Kanyi Daily reported that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has recovered N454bn in looted public funds and as well, secured 90 convictions in the last four years.

This was disclosed by the ICPC Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner in Osun State, Demola Bakare, at an event in Ede to mark this year’s African Union Anti-Corruption Day on Wednesday.