E-Paper
Air Deccan aircraft overshoots runway
An Air Deccan aircraft overshot the runway by a few yards during landing at the Bangalore airport.
An Air Deccan aircraft carrying 40 passengers and two crew members overshot the runway by a few yards during landing at the Bangalore airport on Saturday due to a possible undercarriage problem or tyre burst but all on board were safe.
The ATR 72-500 coming in from Coimbatore "appeared to have a problem with the undercarriage or it could be a tyre burst and the aircraft came to a stop a few yards off the runway. A full investigation is being carried out," Air Deccan Chief Operating Officer Warwick Brady said.
He said it was "a minor landing incident and all the passengers and crew are safe".
Three passengers who suffered "minor bruises" were treated at the airport's health care unit while two others with swelling in their legs had been taken to Manipal Hospital to get X-rays done "as we suspect hairline fractures", Airport health officer Dr VC Shanmuganandhan told reporters.
The runway was closed to air traffic for nearly five hours after the incident.
"Some panic in such a landing is very normal. Bruises suffered by some passengers is also normal in evacuation. However, all passengers were evacuated safely," Brady said.
He said the ATR was a "brand new" aircraft inducted into the airline on November 19, 2005 and dismissed suggestions of a pilot error as Capt Roger Zibr was an experienced pilot with 12,300 hours flying of which 8,380 hours were on ATRs.
"Luckily, the aircraft is not substantially damaged and we are investigating," the COO said.
