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The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has issued a preliminary report on a serious incident involving a Boeing 737-400 aircraft operated by Max Air Limited. The incident occurred between takeoff at Yola Airport in Adamawa and the landing at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on May 7.

According to the NSIB Director-General, Akin Olateru, initial findings indicate that the flight crew was licensed and qualified for the flight, and the aircraft possessed a valid Certificate of Airworthiness.

The report states that after departing from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, the aircraft spent approximately 30 minutes on the ground in Yola before turning back to Abuja. The flight crew informed the control tower in Yola about an object resembling a tire falling off the aircraft, as reported by Nigerian Air Force personnel. A passenger seated in row 24 also alerted the flight crew about witnessing the wheel falling off.

Despite normal indications from the instruments and landing gear, the pilot noticed the port side wing dipping unexpectedly while decelerating after landing. Full aileron control was necessary to level the wing until the lift decayed. The aircraft eventually came to a stop on the runway.

Post-incident investigations revealed that the port wheel assembly was found approximately 1000 meters from the threshold of Runway 35 at the Yola airport, and the roller bearings on the wheel assembly of No. 1 main wheel had discoloration and burnout. The CVR recording was unfortunately overwritten, and Max Air Limited claimed to be unaware of the NCAA All Operators Letter regarding continuous overwriting of Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) information.

The report also highlighted an incorrect tech log entry and the lack of supervision from the quality control department during maintenance actions on the brake unit and wheel change. Furthermore, the crew did not take sufficient measures to confirm the information about the missing wheel assembly.

There was severe fire damage to the No. 2 main wheel assembly, and it was discovered that after the replacement of the wheel brake, an aircraft mechanic had not properly crosschecked the work performed by the engineer. Communication between the pilot and the duty controller on the day of the incident was not recorded in Yola’s Air Traffic Control Voice Recording System.

The director-general made several recommendations to prevent future incidents. These recommendations include increased surveillance and oversight by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and conducting regular safety assessments of Max Air Limited’s Safety Management System. The report also called for the enforcement of relevant regulations and guidelines, including the uninterrupted power supply for operational equipment.

The NSIB emphasized the need for further investigations, including inspections of the roller bearing and other accessories, retrieval of pertinent documents from Max Air Limited, and an examination of the underlying factors leading to the drafting of the final report.

This incident serves as a critical reminder of the importance of proper aircraft maintenance and the need for effective safety management systems within the aviation industry. The NSIB’s findings should prompt immediate action from all stakeholders to ensure the highest level of safety in air travel.