The Max Air flight with 119 passengers and 6 crew members, experienced a tyre bust of the first rear gear midway on the runway while on the verge of taking off.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, Bimbo Oladeji, at 11:22 pm on Sunday, according to The Punch.
However, Olajide also stated that no death was recorded, and no injury was recorded as a result of the incident.
The statement reads “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 tyres. Initially, two tyres burst. While attempting to taxi off the runway, the remaining two tyres 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.”
Recall in 2023, the NSIB in a report indicted the airline for overwriting the Cockpit Voice Recorder of the serious incident which occurred on May 7, 2023, on landing at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The airline was also charged in the report of repeatedly overwriting CVR data while pretending to be unaware of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority’s All Operators Letter (NCAA/FSG/AOL/19/03).
This came after a plane from the same airline, registered NGL1648, left Abuja for Yola.
According to the NSIB report, before making the turn for Abuja, the aircraft stayed on the ground at Yola for almost thirty minutes.
However, it was learned that because of the high temperature on the ground at Yola Airport, the landing gear was left extended for three minutes after takeoff to enable it to cool.
But at 2:08 p.m., Nigerian Air Force personnel from the Air Force Hangar close to runway 35, reported to Yola Control Tower that an object “appearing like a tyre fell off from the departing NGL1649.”
