Major accident averted in Phuket, Thailand: Wheel of Air India Express came out during landing at the airport, all passengers safe
Mumbai. Air India Express’ Boeing 737 Max aircraft made a ‘hard landing’ at Phuket airport on Wednesday, resulting in the separation of both its front wheels. A senior DGCA official gave this information. Flight IX938 of the aircraft VT-BWQ had departed from Hyderabad for Phuket. The official said the passengers were deboarded from the plane and taken to the terminal building and no one was injured.
The number of passengers on board the Boeing 737-Max 8 could not be immediately determined. According to officials, airport operations have been temporarily suspended due to the aircraft being stranded on the runway and the aircraft has been towed to the bay (the part of the airport where aircraft are parked).
An Air India Express spokesperson said the front wheel of the plane had developed a fault at Phuket airport and the crew followed all standard protocols and the passengers were deplaned. The DGCA official said the plane made a suspicious ‘hard landing’ on Runway 9 of Phuket airport, causing it to bounce.
In aviation parlance, a ‘hard landing’ generally refers to an unintentional landing in which the aircraft hits the ground with excessive vertical speed and thrust. “The plane is stuck on the runway, with both its front wheels separated,” a Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) official said.
He said an investigation would be conducted by the relevant authority after consultation with Thai aviation authorities. The official said that as part of routine maintenance, both the front wheels of the plane were replaced on March 8.
Comments are closed.