The Hindu : Front Page : Kingfisher flight skids on runway

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Friday, Mar 28, 2008
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Kingfisher flight skids on runway

Staff Reporter

Plane hits dog; miraculous escape for 25 passengers, four crew members

— photo: Bhagya Prakash K

flight aborted: The Hyderabad-bound Kingfisher aircraft stuck on the runway at the Bangalore airport on Thursday night.

BANGALORE: Passengers and crew members on board the Hyderabad-bound Kingfisher Airlines aircraft had a miraculous escape on Thursday night when the ATR 72-500 skidded on the runway at the HAL airport here.

While the pilot said the aircraft hit a dog on the runway, airport sources said the aircraft was yet to gain velocity for take-off when the nose wheel broke and it skidded. At least four passengers were injured .

The runway was closed for over three hours, causing flight delays and diversions. The incident occurred between 9.37 and 9.45 p.m. when the aircraft with 25 passengers and four crew members aboard was preparing to take off. Captain Mmopi was the main pilot.

According to the commander, a black dog crossed the runway while the aircraft was on its take-off roll and because the runway was dimly lit, the crew did not notice the animal till it was too late to take evasive action.

A Kingfisher release said: “The aircraft, having never left the ground, came to a halt on the runway and the crew performed an emergency evacuation of the passengers. Two guests stumbled and sustained sprain while all the others are safe. The injured were treated at a nearby hospital and discharged.”

The aircraft has been disabled and will have to be jacked up and towed off the runway.

The Kingfisher team was on the spot and is expected to conduct a full investigation in conjunction with the DGCA and airport authorities.

Top officials rushed to the spot to conduct a full investigation of the incident.

Vijay Mallya, Chairman and CEO of Kingfisher Airlines, said: “I am happy that all guests on board our flight are safe. It is most unfortunate that the dog menace at airports in India still persists and that an incident occurred today in Bangalore. At Kingfisher Airlines, safety is paramount and I am glad that our crew handled this emergency successfully.”

Flights delayed

Several flights scheduled to land in Bangalore after 9.45 p.m. were diverted to nearby cities, including Chennai and Hyderabad.

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