In the last two years there have been too many minor and major incidents involving flight operations in Nigeria, prompting anxiety about air transportation, as global aviation records unusual tragic accidents, writes Chinedu Eze

Over the last two years, there have been many incidents involving commercial flight operations and charter services which are fuelling skepticism about air transport in Nigeria. Records of mishaps globally tended to exacerbate the fears because 2025 was ushered in by tragic accidents that consumed many lives.

The latest In these mishaps in Nigeria is the serious incident involving Max Air, which on Tuesday evening had a nosewheel pullout on landing at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano.

Report of the serious incident indicated that Max Air Flight VM1605 with aircraft registration number: 5N-MBD suffered tyre burst on landing at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano.

The flight had 53 passengers and six crew onboard who suffered no injuries.

Eyewitness accounts indicated that the aircraft had tyre burst on landing at 22:57 (Nigerian time).

All the passengers onboard the flight were evacuated safely from the aircraft without any major injuries and the report indicated that the aircraft may have lost the nose landing gear tyre (nosewheel) during landing, thereby leading to the serious incident.

NCAA Reacts

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in a statement in response to the incident said it had commenced organisational risk profiles for each scheduled operator, including Max Air, which is nearing its conclusion.

?However, as a result of this incident, Max Air is suspending its domestic flight operations for three months with effect from midnight, 31st January 2025, to allow for an internal appraisal of its operations by its management.

?During these 3 months, 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 organisation, 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 resumption of Max Air?s domestic flight operations will be predicated on the satisfactory completion of this audit.?

The airline itself issued a statement saying that it would suspend its domestic flight operations for 90 days effective midnight 31st January 2025.

?This is to enable us to carry out internal operational evaluation. The proactive measure demonstrates our unwavering commitment to passenger safety and service excellence. The safety of our passengers and crew remains our highest priority and we believe this voluntary suspension will allow us to exceed industry standards and restore public confidence in our operations.?

In July last year, Max Air recorded a similar major incident in Yola. The airline?s flight with 119 passengers and six crew members onboard suffered a total failure of its rear landing gear while taking off on a scheduled service at Yola Airport.

The Boeing 737-300 with registration mark 5N-ADB scheduled to take off from Yola Airport en route to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, had all its rear tyres burst on the runway during the botched takeoff attempt. All 125 persons onboard were safely evacuated, leaving the disabled aircraft lying on the runway.

Series of Incidents

Industry observers fear that the many aircraft incidents in recent times may lead to major accidents if actions are not taken to curb the issues that led to the incidents, as the world is jolted by tragic accidents that were not foreseen since the improvement of the equipment to near perfect situation.

Since 2023, Nigeria has been recording many air incidents involving aircraft overshooting the runway and even accidents, where a single-engine aircraft crashed on the street in Ikeja, Lagos but there were no fatalities.

Industry insiders say this was similar to the prologue that led to tragic crashes of the early 2000s, peaking in 2005 and 2006, involving Sosoliso Airlines, ADC Airlines, Bellview Airlines

In November 2023, Valujet-operated Bombardier, CRJ-900 aircraft with registration 5N-BXR, skidded off the runway after landing at the Port Harcourt International Airport. There was a serious incident that happened at the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport, Ibadan in Oyo State on November 3, 2023, when an aircraft not designated for charter service was involved in charter operation and it landed short of the runway in the night and crashed into the bush. In April 2024 an aircraft belonging to Dana Air experienced a runway incursion upon landing at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, leading to the suspension of the operation licence of the airline by the NCAA.

Industry operators attribute these accidents to the growing poor oversight function of the NCAA.

Warning Signs

The Managing Director of Aero Contractors and the former Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Captain Ado Sanusi, told THISDAY that the signs that led to what happened to Max Air on Tuesday might have manifested some time ago when a captain in the airline raised the alarm about breachings in operating standards, but he was dismissed with insinuations that he might have mental issues.

Captain Sanusi said that was the time NCAA could have zeroed in on the airline to scrutinise its operations, but the airline was allowed to continue operations, even after it had busted tyres on landing at the Yola airport.

?If you remember, a pilot who is a captain raised serious concerns about the operations of the airline some time ago but he was Ignored. NCAA could have used that opportunity to look at the airline. That was the first sign that the company had issues. It is important when the incident happens you investigate it with the seriousness it deserves; if not, incidents will translate into accidents. If NCAA had looked at the issues then; maybe, this one might not have occurred,? he said.

Sanusi also pointed out what became a butt of debate since the Max Air serious incident happened in Kano; whether NCAA suspended the operations of the airline or whether the airline suspended itself. He wondered that if it was the airline that suspended its operations, why did NCAA announce it? Was NCAA the spokesman of the airline?

Laxity and Sentiment

He also observed that in terms of safety regulation, NCAA seems to have lost its firmness in the last few years, noting that the regulatory authority should not ingratiate to be loved by the airline but stringently carry out its oversight functions because human lives are involved.

?Another thing that also seems confusing is when Max Air said it was suspending its domestic operations. Is it not the same technical team that is overseeing Its domestic operations that is also in charge of its international operations? Does the airline have a different accountable manager for international operations? NCAA is too soft on the airlines. The agency is not there to be liked but to do the right thing,? Sanusi said.

The Aero Managing Director and Chief Executive also expressed the regret that nothing would be heard again about Max Air until when it started operations and urged the regulatory authority not to yield to sentiments and pressure from politicians.

He stated that there could be such sentiments as this is the only airline from this section of the country; therefore, it should not be grounded or allowed to die.

Sanusi cited what happened in Nigerian football, where the local coaches usually select players based on sentiment. However, if a foreign coach is engaged, he selects the best players because he is guided by performance and not by sentiment. He called on the NCAA to do the same. (THISDAY)

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