The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has suspended Max Air’s domestic flight operations for three months following a Boeing 737 incident at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) on January 28, 2025.
The aircraft, registered 5N-MBD, experienced a nose wheel landing gear collapse and rear tire burst during landing on Runway 06/24.
The suspension, effective from midnight, January 31, 2025, will allow the airline to assess its operations internally.
The announcement, made in a statement on January 29, 2025, by Mr. Michael Achimugu, Director of Consumer Protection and Public Affairs, NCAA, also outlined that the NCAA will conduct a safety and economic audit of Max Air during this period.
The safety audit will re-inspect the airline’s procedures, personnel, and aircraft, while the economic audit will assess its financial stability to ensure continued safe operations.
“The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) refers to the incident involving Max Air B734 aircraft with registration marks 5N-MBD, on landing at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano on Tuesday, 28th, January 2025 at about 2251 hours,” the statement read in part.
It added, “However, as a result of this incident, Max Air is suspending its domestic flight operations for a period of three months with effect from midnight, 31st January, 2025, to allow for an internal appraisal of its operations by its management.
During this 3-month period, the NCAA will conduct a thorough safety and economic audit on Max Air. The safety audit will entail a re-inspection of Max Air’s organization, procedures, personnel and aircraft as specified by Part 1.3.3.3(b) of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations, while the economic audit will critically examine the financial health of the airline to guarantee its capability to sustain safe flight operations.”
The statement disclosed that the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has already initiated an investigation into the cause of the incident. The NCAA emphasized that the specific cause(s) will only be determined once the NSIB completes its investigation.
More insight
In the statement, the NCAA acknowledged the potential inconvenience the suspension may cause passengers but reassured the public that passenger safety remains its top priority.
- The regulatory body called for patience and understanding as it works to protect passenger rights throughout this process.
- The statement further highlighted that Max Air will only be allowed to resume domestic flight operations once the audits are completed successfully and the airline meets all required safety standards.
The suspension and audits are part of the NCAA’s ongoing efforts to evaluate and ensure the safety of all scheduled operators, including Max Air, through its organizational risk profiling initiative.
