The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has suspended Max Air’s domestic flight services for three months following an incident where a Max Air Boeing 737-400 suffered a nose gear collapse during landing at Kano Mallam Aminu International Airport (KAN).
The announcement was made by Michael Achimugu, the Director of Consumer Protection and Public Affairs at the NCAA, on January 29, 2025. He stated that the suspension will start on January 31, 2025, to “allow for an internal appraisal of its operations by its management.”
During the three-month suspension, the NCAA will conduct a detailed safety and economic audit of the airline. The safety audit will involve a re-inspection of Max Air’s organization, procedures, personnel and aircraft. The economic audit will examine the airline’s financial stability to guarantee its capability to sustain safe flight operations, the statement continued.
According to the NCAA, the resumption of Max Air’s domestic flight operations will be resumed after the audit is completed.
What happened during flight VM-1605?
On January 28, 2025, a Max Air Boeing 737-400, registered as 5N-MBD, took off from Murtala Muhammed International Airport (LOS) in Lagos at 20:43 local time, heading to Kano Airport, as reported by FlightRadar24.
While landing at Kano Airport and nearing runway 06 around 22:48 local time, the aircraft experienced a burst tire, and its nose gear collapsed. There were 53 passengers, and six crew members onboard the aircraft.
VIDEO: Max Air Boeing 737 Previously Involved In Double Burst Tyre Incident Suffers Burst Tyre And Landing Gear Collapse In Kano https://t.co/2PtRox3up3 pic.twitter.com/AN1o3DU73W
— West Africa Weekly (@WestAfricaWeek) January 29, 2025
Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) reported that during the deceleration phase, while the aircraft was below 60 knots and using thrust reversers, a loud bang was heard, causing the aircraft to sharply turn left. The flight crew quickly regained control and safely stopped the aircraft.
All passengers and crew members safely disembarked the aircraft, with no injuries reported. The NSIB has sent its GoTeam to investigate the incident, saying that “the team’s investigation will focus on identifying the root cause, including any technical, operational, or procedural lapses.”
