MAX Air has announced a three-month suspension of its operations following an incident involving one of its aircraft at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano.
A spokesperson for the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Michael Achimugu, confirmed the development in a statement today, shortly after the incident that occurred yesterday night.
The NCAA referenced the incident involving Max Air’s Boeing 737-400 aircraft, registered as 5N-MBD, which happened yesterday at approximately 10:51 p.m. upon landing at Kano airport.
The aircraft suffered a landing gear collapse and a tire burst, causing panic among passengers.
Fortunately, all 53 passengers and six crew members onboard escaped without major injuries.
Meanwhile, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) reported that the runway has since been cleared, and normal flight operations have resumed at the airport.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) however, has launched an investigation into the incident, with the NCAA pledging full cooperation.
The regulator emphasized that the exact cause of the occurrence would only be determined after the NSIB completes its probe.
Regulatory Audit and Temporary Suspension
The NCAA revealed that it had been conducting organizational risk assessments for all scheduled airlines, including Max Air, and was close to finalizing its review.
However, due to this latest incident, the airline has voluntarily suspended its domestic flight operations for three months, starting at midnight on January 31, 2025, to allow for an internal evaluation.
During this period, the NCAA will conduct a comprehensive safety and financial audit of Max Air.
The safety review will reassess the airline’s operations, personnel, and aircraft, while the economic audit will evaluate its financial stability to ensure it can sustain safe operations.
Resumption of domestic flights will depend on the successful completion of these audits.
The NCAA acknowledged the inconvenience this may cause passengers but reiterated that safety remains its top priority.
Recall that this is not the first time Max Air has faced regulatory action. In July 2023, the NCAA suspended the airline’s operations for similar safety concerns but later reinstated them.