Nigerian Aircrafts may be Using Contaminated Aviation Fuel – NCAA Warns

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority NCAA has raised alarm over concerns in the Aviation Industry that operators may be fueling aircraft with contaminated aviation fuel, or even kerosene as a substitute.

Household kerosene shares some physical and chemical properties with aviation fuel.

NCAA, in a circular to both domestic and foreign airline operators, referred to an alert letter from the European Aviation Safety Agency about the discovery of a contaminant in the fuel metering unit of an aircraft engine.

The circular read, “based on the information provided by the engine manufacturer Rolls Royce to the EASA the contaminant known as Super Absorbent Polymer (SAP) may have been introduced during fueling uploads in Lagos Nigeria”.

NCAA warns that fuel containing SAP is not considered suitable for aircraft engine operations and likely to damage the engine, with deadly consequences.

The aviation regulator says it is investigating the matter, and has therefore advised airline operators that have experienced service difficulty to submit among other things, troubleshooting report and the aviation fuel supplier as well as their last audit report on the aviation fuel supplier.