House of Reps to investigate contaminated fuel incident on Max Air plane

The House of Representatives has announced plans to launch an investigation into the recent incident of contaminated fuel discovered on a Max Air plane.

The decision to conduct the investigation came after Tunji Olawuyi, the representative for Ekiti/Isin/Oke-Ero and Irepodun Federal Constituency, presented a motion of urgent importance during a session.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) took swift action on July 12, 2023, suspending Max Air's domestic operations following the discovery of contaminated Jet A1 fuel on one of their aircraft, along with other safety-related concerns. The contamination of fuel is seen as a serious threat to passenger safety, prompting the House to take action.

Max Air's suspension

In its letter to Max Air, the NCAA listed several previous incidents involving the airline's Boeing B737 aircraft as part of the reason for the suspension. These incidents included the loss of a Main Landing Gear wheel during a flight between Yola Airport in Adamawa State and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on May 7, 2023. Additionally, fuel contamination in the main fuel tanks of another Max Air aircraft, leading to the shutdown of the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) on the ground at Yola Airport, was reported on July 7, 2023.

Furthermore, there was an aborted take-off of a Boeing 737-400 aircraft at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport on July 11, 2023, due to high Exhaust Gas Temperature (EGT) indications. On the same day, another Max Air aircraft had to return to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport due to a duct overheat indication in the cockpit.

These incidents have raised significant concerns about the safety standards and practices of Max Air, and the House of Representatives aims to get to the bottom of the issue. The House expressed its worry about the potentially life-threatening nature of these occurrences and emphasised the need for a thorough investigation to ensure passenger safety.

The NCAA has also taken action to address the situation by forming a team of inspectors to conduct an audit of Max Air's organisation. The restoration of the airline's operations specifications will be contingent on the satisfactory findings of this audit, ensuring that the necessary safety measures are in place before resuming operations.