The Accident Investigation Bureau of Nigeria (AIB-N) has handed out two preliminary reports on serious incidents involving aircraft owned and operated by Air Peace Limited and Max Air.
The report indicated that Max Air do not have an approved Safety Management System as required by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations.
The AIB report stated that the Max Air Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) was unserviceable while bird strike at the edge of the radome was observed.
The Bureau recommended in the report that the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA should ensure that the Navigational Aids installed at all the operating airports in Nigeria are calibrated in accordance with the AIP Supplement S 38/2019.
The serious incident involving Max Air Boeing 747-400 aircraft with nationality and registration marks 5N-DBK occurred at Runway 05, Minna International Airport on 7th September, 2019 while the Air Peace Boeing 737-500 aircraft with nationality and registration marks 5N-BUJ was enroute Sam Mbakwe Airport, Owerri on 5th November, 2019 when the incident occurred at about 23,000 feet above Mean Sea Level (FL230).
On the Air Peace aircraft, the report explained that: On 22nd June, 2018, the incident engine, S/N 720461 was removed from an aircraft in Air Peace Limited fleet, 5N-BQQ at a Time Since New (TSN) of 83,611:31 h and Cycle Since New (CSN) of 76,567.
While on 11th April, 2019, Authorised Release Certificate (EASA Form 1) was issued by Jordan Airmotive Limited Company in respect of a repair work done on the incident engine, S/N 720461 at a TSN of 83,611:31 h. On 17th April, 2019, the repaired engine, S/N 720461 was installed at the Right Hand (No. 2) position on 5N-BUJ at a TSN of 83,611:31 h and CSN of 76,567.
On 17th June, 2019, the first flight with the repaired engine installed on 5N-BUJ was conducted. On 5th November, 2019, at a TSN of 84,197:6 h and CSN of 77,222, the No. 2 engine, S/N 720461 N1 and N2 gauges indicated below normal values in flight from Lagos enroute Owerri at about FL230. Metal debris were found around the tail cone of No. 2 engine during post-occurrence inspection. The Time Since Repair (TSR) and Cycles Since Repair (CSR) of Engine S/N 720461 was 586.29 h and 655, respectively at the time of the occurrence. On 19th October, 2019 a deferred defect on âENG.2 EGT ERRATICâ was entered in the Deferred Defect Log book and action taken to clear the defect on 20th October, 2019 was âENG. 2 EGT Harnessâ. The No. 2 engine limiter as at 4th November, 2019 was 4, 359 cyclesâ.
AIB observed that preliminary reports are not the final reports as they only contain details of the initial facts, discussions and findings surrounding the occurrences; which include information gathered from witness statements, flight recorders, Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS) Data, Flight Data Monitoring (FDM) data, and preliminary inspection of the accident sites and the wreckages.
The Bureau noted that investigation on the occurrence is still ongoing as final report on the incident will be released at the conclusion of the investigation.
