By Christiana Ekpa
The House of Representatives would investigate incessant incidences of aviation fuel contamination, associated air travel risks and possible non-adherence to standard operating procedures and industry best practices in the aviation oil industry.
The House resolution followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance by Rep Tunji Olawuyi (APC-Kwara) at the plenary in Abuja on Thursday.
Moving the motion, the Lawmaker said the contamination of the main fuel tanks of Boeing 737-300 aircraft belonging to Max Air B737-300 leading to the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) shutdown on July, 7 at the Yola Airport.
He said Max Air had reportedly confirmed that it got the contaminated fuel from certain undisclosed aviation refueling outlet.
This he said eventually led to the unfortunate incidence and grounding of its 5N-MHM aircraft by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA)
He noted that NCAA followed the incident via a letter NCAA/DG/AIR/11/16/363 dated July 9, and suspended parts A3 Aircraft Authorisation and D43 Aircraft Listing of the Operations Specifications issued to Max Air Ltd.
He said this was with regards to the operations of the Boeing B737 aircraft type in their fleet.
He said NCAA noted several occurrences involving Max Air Boeing B737 aircraft including the loss of Number 1 Main Landing Gear (MLG) wheel during the serious incident involving a Boeing 737-400 aircraft.
He said this occurred between take-off at Yola Airport, Adamawa State and on landing at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Nigeria on May 7.
He said many flight accidents in history were caused by fuel contamination resulting in abnormal operation of aircraft engines and water as a major contaminant.
He said in recent times, NCAA had been receiving series of mandatory occurrence reports from airlines and other aircraft operators with issues related to water being found in the aircraft fuel tank of the aircraft.
He decried the inability of NCAA and other associated aviation and oil regulatory agencies to address the increasing sharp practices in the aviation fueling industry.
This according to to him is where some unregistered portfolio jet fuel marketers using the throughput arrangement to supply aviation fuel with little or zero traceability.
He said this is mostly in iats supply chain instead of the regulated Joint Venture (JV) model with negative impact on lives, properties, economy and the aviation industry.
He expressed concern that the Nigerian regulatory agencies in the aviation oil industry had demonstrated lack of capacity and failed to ensure certification of appropriate specification.
He also said that they have failed to ensure proper handling of fuels to remain essentially free of harmful contaminants during production, transportation and distribution.
The House in adopting the motion constituted and ad hoc committee to investigate the increasing incidences of aviation fuel contamination.
The House also urged the committee to unravel associated air travel risks and possible non-adherence to standard operating procedures and industry best practices in the aviation oil industry and report to the House in eight weeks.
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