Max Air flight experiences tyre burst in Kano, all passengers safe
A Max Air Boeing 737 aircraft with the registration number 5N-MBD on Tuesday experienced a tyre burst while landing at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) in Kano.
The incident occurred at approximately 10:57 PM local time as Flight VM1605 was arriving from Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos. There were 53 passengers on board at the time of the incident.
According to reports, the aircraft suffered a tyre burst upon landing, which led to significant complications during the landing process. Preliminary investigations suggest that the nose landing gear tyre may have been lost during this critical phase of flight.
Eyewitness accounts indicate that one of the front tyres caught fire immediately after touchdown, resulting in smoke filling the cabin. Passengers reported a sense of urgency to evacuate quickly through emergency exits as firefighters responded promptly to extinguish the flames.
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Fortunately, all passengers aboard Flight VM1605 were safely evacuated without any major injuries reported. This is a crucial aspect of the incident, highlighting effective emergency response protocols and passenger safety measures that were in place.
Malam Bello Ramalan, Max Air’s Kano Station Manager, confirmed that there were no injuries among passengers and stated that the airline is cooperating with relevant authorities such as the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) and Aircraft and Equipment Department (AED) to investigate the cause of this incident further.
This incident is not isolated; it adds to a series of similar occurrences involving Max Air’s fleet. Notably, in May 2023, the same aircraft (5N-MBD) experienced multiple tyre bursts upon landing at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. Additionally, another Max Air Boeing 737 faced a tyre burst during takeoff at Yola Airport in July 2024. These repeated incidents have drawn scrutiny from regulatory bodies like the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), which has conducted audits on Max Air due to identified safety and maintenance violations.
Despite these findings and concerns regarding operational safety standards, Max Air has continued its operations without significant changes being publicly noted.
