Just in: 119 passengers escape deaths as Max Air four tyres burst during takeoff at Yola airport

The Max Air Boeing 737, with registration 5N-ADB and 119 passengers and six crew members on board, lost four tyres while taking off at the Yola airport on Sunday.

Before taking off from Yola Airport to Abuja, the aircraft’s first rear gear tyres burst, and the remaining two tyres also burst during the taxing off process.

However, no fatalities or injuries were recorded, according to a statement by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, Bimbo Oladeji.

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.”

Similarly, in 2023, a report by the NSIB accused the airline of overwriting the Cockpit Voice Recorder of the serious incident that occurred on May 7, 2023, on landing at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

The report also accused the airline of feigning ignorance of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority’s All Operators Letter (NCAA/FSG/AOL/19/03) in relation to the continuous overwriting of CVR information.

This occurred after an aircraft belonging to the same airline, NGL1648, departed Abuja for Yola.

The NSIB report said that the aircraft was on the ground in Yola for about 30 minutes before the turnaround for Abuja.

The high temperature at Yola Airport caused the landing gear to be extended for three minutes after takeoff to allow cooling.

However, 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 tyre fell off the departing NGL1649.”