The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has suspended the domestic operations of Max Air, a prominent Nigerian airline owned by Nigerian tycoon Dahiru Mangal. The suspension, outlined in letter NCAA/DG/AIR/11/16/363, directs the immediate suspension of Parts A3 and D43 pertaining to the operation of Max Air’s Boeing 737 aircraft type.
Part A3 pertains to the airline’s Aircraft Authorization, while Part D43 deals with the Aircraft Listing of the Operations Specifications issued to Max Air Ltd. Consequently, the airline’s domestic operations will be halted until the regulatory agency lifts the suspension.
The letter, signed by Captain Ibrahim Bello Dambazau, director of operations, training, and licensing, on behalf of Capt. Musa Nuhu, director general of civil aviation, stated: “The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) hereby suspends Parts A3 (Aircraft Authorization) and D43 (Aircraft Listing) of the Operations Specifications issued to Max Air Ltd. with regards to the operations of the Boeing B737 aircraft type in your fleet. With the above suspension, you are to immediately suspend the operations of all Boeing B737 aircraft in your fleet.”
The grounds for the suspension are the multiple occurrences involving Max Air’s Boeing B737 aircraft, as listed in the letter. These incidents include the loss of the Number 1 Main Landing Gear (MLG) wheel during a serious incident, fuel contamination of the main fuel tanks, an aborted take-off due to high Exhaust Gas Temperature (EGT) indication, and an air return caused by duct overheat indication in the cockpit.
To address the concerns, the NCAA has assembled a team of inspectors to conduct an audit of Max Air. The outcome of this audit must meet the Authority’s satisfaction before considering the restoration of operational privileges for the aircraft type.
Mangal, one of Nigeria’s wealthiest individuals, established Max Air in 2008. In addition to Max Air, Mangal is the owner of Dragon Oil and Gas, which engaged in oil exploration in Ivory Coast. He previously held a 15.83-percent stake in the Nigerian listed energy company Oando Plc before divesting his shares in November 2021. Afdin Group, the conglomerate he controls, owns an LPG Plant, construction firms, a rice processing mill and fertilizer blending plants among other ventures.
