Our reporter/A Max Air aircraft crash-landed at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) on Tuesday night
The development is a concern for air travelers following the discovery that the same aircraft was involved in a previous emergency landing in Maiduguri with the Borno State Deputy Governor onboard.
The aircraft, a Boeing 737 with registration number 5N-MBD, was arriving from Lagos with 53 passengers and six crew members when it suffered a landing gear failure at approximately 10:45 PM. The aircraft’s front tire burst into flames upon landing, filling the cabin with smoke and forcing an emergency evacuation.
The plane belonging to Katsina-born businessman Dahiru Mangal also suffered a tyre burst while landing causing panic among passengers. All passengers and crew members onboard were, however, safely evacuated without major injuries.
An airport source confirmed that the incident occurred at 10:57 pm when Flight VM1605, which had earlier departed from Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA) in Lagos, touched down in Kano.
“The aircraft suffered a tyre burst on landing. Emergency response teams were immediately activated, and all passengers were safely evacuated,” the source said.
It was gathered that the aircraft may have lost its nose landing gear tyre, which led to the incident. However, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is expected to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the exact cause.
One of the passengers, Abdullahi Ibrahim, described the moment onboard as tense. He said, “As soon as we landed, there was a loud sound, and the plane shook violently. Some passengers started praying, but the crew assured us everything was under control. We are just grateful to be safe.”
Efforts to reach Max Air officials for an official statement were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report. However, aviation experts have assured the public that such incidents, while concerning, are not uncommon in the industry.
An aviation analyst Kabiru Ali said, “Tyre bursts can happen due to multiple factors such as runway conditions, excessive wear, or impact forces during landing. The most important thing is that no lives were lost, and the crew handled the situation well.”
Meanwhile, normal flight operations have resumed at the Kano airport, with authorities working to clear the affected aircraft from the runway.
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