Max Air aircraft grounded after four tires burst during takeoff in Adamawa

The Max Air aircraft carrying 119 passengers and six crew members was cleared for takeoff when its first rear gear tires burst.

Subsequently, the remaining two tires also burst while attempting to taxi off the runway.

The airline’s Director of Public and Consumer Protection Bimbo Oladeji said the aircraft was carrying 119 passengers and six crew members.

Oladeji confirmed that there were no deaths or injuries resulting from the incident.

The statement read: “This evening, Max Air’s flight NGL1649, a Boeing 737 with registration 5N-ADB, carrying 119 passengers and six crew members, was cleared for takeoff from Yola Airport en route to Abuja. During the takeoff roll, a loud bang was heard, identified as the bursting of the rear gear tires. Initially, two tires burst. While attempting to taxi off the runway, the remaining two tires also burst, rendering the aircraft completely disabled. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. A go-team, led by NSIB Director General Captain Alex Badeh Jr., will visit the incident site tomorrow morning to conduct an investigation.”

Additionally, in 2023, an NSIB report indicted the airline for overwriting the Cockpit Voice Recorder of a serious incident that occurred on May 7, 2023, during landing at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. The report accused the airline of ignoring the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority’s All Operators Letter (NCAA/FSG/AOL/19/03) regarding the continuous overwriting of CVR information.

This incident followed a flight by the same airline, NGL1648, which departed from Abuja for Yola. The aircraft was on the ground in Yola for about 30 minutes before the turnaround for Abuja. It was reported that after takeoff, the landing gear was left extended for three minutes to cool due to high ground temperatures at Yola Airport. At 2:08 p.m., Nigerian Air Force personnel from the Air Force Hangar near runway 35 reported to Yola Control Tower that an object “appearing like a tire” had fallen off the departing NGL1649.