Director General of Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA)
Strong indications have emerged that the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA has identified two aviation fuel suppliers suspected to have supplied contaminated fuel to an aircraft belonging to Max Air.
NCAA which did not make identities of the fuellers public however said the essence of the meeting is to get to the root cause or causes of the problem, identify gaps and have a multi-faceted approach to dealing with this matter investigation is not to punish anyone but to strengthen safety.
Speaking during a stakeholders’ meeting held via zoom on Friday, the Director, Airworthiness Standards, (NCAA), Mr. Gbolahan Abatan said the culprits were discovered by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, (NMDPRA).
Since the discovery of fuel contamination in an aircraft operated by Max air in May, 2023, the Nigeria Civil Authority, NCAA embarked on an investigation to identify the culprits, all fuel suppliers storage facilities and processes in the loading and dispensing of the product into the aircraft.
According to the NCAA, this is to ascertain the suppliers adherence to their requirements and standards regarding the quality of fuel and supply to ensure continued flight safety.
This incident led to the grounding of all Boeing 737 aircraft in the fleet of the airline by the NCAA.
Abatan said, in his over two decades in the industry, he had never seen so much litres of water drained from an aircraft engine due to contamination.
According to him, the two suppliers identified by the NMDPRA suspected to be responsible for the adulterated aviation fuel are not on the list of the NCAA as suppliers to the industry.
“Some are operating, supplying fuel without going through the process of certification and we have identified them and have discovered two companies that are likely to be the culprits”.
Investigation by the NCAA also revealed that, the aircraft in question, took fuel from Lagos, Abuja and Kano airports.
The Director General, National Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), Mr. Akin Olateru cautioned that NCAA, should not to overrule sabotage in their ongoing investigation on this matter.
Olateru recalled that, in one of its safety recommendations to the CAA, that attention should be given to the quality of fuel and its loading.
“Series of issues relating to fuel accident like the Bell 427 of the Nigeria Police force at a time, a safety recommendation was issued that the NCAA and DPR to launch an independent enquiry into aviation fuel quality in Nigeria”.
The Chief Operating Officer, NMDPRA, Mr. Farouk Ahmed said, they are not ruling out blending of kerosene to aviation fuel to increase quantity in their investigation.
“But we are not suspecting that but we are just trying to preempt any possibility, we have to work together with the NCAA”.
Vice President and spokesman, Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) Mr. Allen Onyema and Dr. Obiora Okonkwo, respectively, said, the issue is of grave concern and scary and proposed amongst others certification of the bowsers and punishment for violators.
“We need to take charge right from the port of shipment, training is very important for those who operate the browsers and whoever was involved in that and those found guilty must be used to set example”.
Director, Civil Aviation, Captain Musa Nuhu said, the essence of the meeting is to get to the root cause or causes of the problem, identify gaps and have a multi-faceted approach to dealing with this matter.
“Outside the purview of the aviation ecosystem that is why we have engaged the regulator of the downstream sector. We have been in consultation with NMDPRA because they certify all the oil companies in Nigeria.”
Based on the sensitivity of the matter, he said the collaboration has become imperative because of the noticed gaps due to lack of deliberate collaboration between NCAA, NMDPRA, and FAAN on fuel quality monitoring.
According to him, the NCAA, FAAN, NMDPRA, NSIB, airliners, pilots, fuel deport operators, aircraft maintenance officers and other stakeholders will be part of a committee that will be set up to ensure the aviation fuel quality is constant.
He said all “facets of the aviation fuel ecosystem must be investigated to arrive at the true situation” adding that “the investigation is not necessarily to indict anyone but to strengthen safety in the aviation industry.”
Captain Nuhu said aviation fuel quality breach has dire consequences and is multifaceted, international in nature, and not limited to scheduled airlines alone.
The participants agreed that NCAA need to develop safety guidelines on aviation fuel and publish this for the airlines to implement.
Capt. Ibrahim Bello Dambazau, the Director of Operations, Licensing, and Training Standards is in his closing remarks said the issue involved is safety critical thus, the NCAA will leave no stone unturned to get to the root of the matter.
Source: Radio Nigeria with additional information
