FG links Max Air incident to human error

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau has disclosed the cause of the incident involving a Boeing 737-400 aircraft operated by Max Air with registration number 5N-MBD.

The Director-General, NSIB, Akin Olateru, disclosed this while briefing journalists on Thursday in Abuja.

According to Olateru, the incident which occurred on May 7, 2023, was due to a lack of due diligence during the maintenance of the aircraft.

He also said the Yola Airport Air Traffic Controller Voice Recording System did not record any communication between the pilot and the controller on duty the day of the incident.

He, however, tasked the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority to ensure that the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria and Nigerian Airspace Management Agency ensured uninterrupted power to avoid the vulnerability of operations.

He noted that some days before the aircraft was operated, the wheel of the aircraft was worked on.

He said, “Days before the use of the aircraft, the wheels were worked on and when you work on the wheel, there are ways you are supposed to tighten the knots, there is what we call locking wire of the knots and there are other things to secure the wheel in place.

“Two days after, the wheel came out, this shows that something must be wrong with the maintenance of the aircraft. Whoever did the wheel definitely did not follow the manufacturer’s recommendation on how to change the wheel.

“So, for a wheel to have fallen off, even Boeing was also interested in this because it is their aircraft and they find the news very embarrassing. So, they are working with us so that they can have firsthand information.

Giving further details of the incident, Olateru said, “At 12:10hr 5N-MBD departed Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (DNAA) for Yola (DNYO) as NGL1648 and arrived at Yola at 13:25hr.

“The aircraft was on ground Yola for about 30 minutes before the turn around for Abuja adding that after takeoff, the landing gear was left extended for three minutes to allow cooling due to high temperature on ground Yola."