In response to a series of safety incidents, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has suspended the operations of all Boeing 737 aircraft in Max Air’s fleet. The suspension was communicated to the airline through a letter dated July 12, 2023, with the reference number NCAA/DG/AIR/11/16/363. Titled “Suspension of Parts A3 and D43 of the Operations Specifications Issued to Max Air with Immediate Effect,” the letter explicitly outlines the grounds for the suspension.
According to the letter, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has suspended Parts A3 (Aircraft Authorization) and D43 (Aircraft Listing) of the Operations Specifications granted to Max Air Ltd. regarding the operations of Boeing B737 aircraft in their fleet. As a result, Max Air is required to halt the operations of all Boeing B737 aircraft in its fleet without delay.
The decision to suspend Max Air’s operations is based on a series of occurrences involving their Boeing B737 aircraft, as enumerated in the letter. These incidents include the loss of a main landing gear (MLG) wheel during a serious incident, fuel contamination leading to an auxiliary power unit (APU) shutdown, an aborted take-off due to high exhaust gas temperature (EGT) indication, and an air return caused by a duct overheat indication in the cockpit.
To address the concerns raised, the aviation authority has appointed a team of inspectors to conduct an audit of Max Air’s organization. The satisfactory outcome of this audit is a prerequisite for the restoration of the airline’s operational privileges pertaining to the Boeing B737 aircraft type.
Max Air, one of Nigeria’s prominent airlines, will need to address these safety issues diligently and demonstrate compliance with aviation regulations to regain the confidence of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and ensure the safety of its operations moving forward.
