A plane belonging to Max Air flight on Tuesday night crash-landed at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) following a front tire bust.
The aircraft, which was arriving from Lagos, with registration number 5N-MBD, B733, narrowly had 53 passengers and six crew members when the accident took place at around 10:19 p.m.
One of the passengers, Aliyu Inuwa Mansir, revealed “The front tire burst into flames upon landing, filling the cabin with smoke. We had to evacuate quickly through the emergency exit. Firefighters were already dousing the flames as we got out,” Mansir recounted.
Max Air’s Kano Station Manager, Bello Ramalan, who confirmed the accident said both passengers and crew members were safely evacuated.
Max Air, Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) and the Aircraft and Equipment Department (AED) are jointly working together determine the cause of the incident.
The airline said the aircraft has since been evacuated from the runway as of 04:28, adding that the Kano runway will remain temporarily closed for inspection and clearance, which may lead to some delays in flight operations on Wednesday.
Max Air pledged to give more information about the runway reopening.
“Our Max Air engineering team continues to demonstrate excellence in handling such situations. We will keep you informed on the status of flight schedules,” the statement said.
The NSIB spokesperson Bimbo Oladeji, said “Our Go-team has been on-site since last night, working through the night to document and collect evidence.”
“We are currently awaiting their feedback, and once we receive the details, we will share the information with you. Thank you for your patience,” she added.
Tuesday’s crash was the second time Max Air will be experiencing an emergency landing in the country.
It would be recalled that on December 5, 2024, Max Air plane had an engine fire shortly after takeoff from the Muhammadu Buhari International Airport in Maiduguri.
The plane en route to Abuja had 80 passengers, including the Deputy Governor of Borno State, Usman Kadafur, made an emergency return to the Maiduguri Airport.