Jet Airways aircraft returns with damaged tyre

Kolkata: A Port Blair-bound Jet Airways flight — 9W 629 — was forced to return to Kolkata after airport authorities there refused permission to land with a deflated tyre.
The tyre had burst during takeoff from Kolkata. The air traffic control here alerted their counterparts in Port Blair after rubber debris were found on the runway by Airports Authority of India staff.
The plane hovered over Port Blair for more than an hour, before returning to NSCBI Airport for an emergency landing at 11 am. The 164 passengers on board were back in Kolkata after nearly six hours in air.
"The captain noticed a problem in tyre pressure when he activated the landing gear on reaching Port Blair on Friday morning. On informing the Port Blair ATC, he was asked to turn back as the short runway could have posed a threat to the plane’s safety in case it skidded on landing," an airport source said.
On returning to Kolkata, the captain was asked to perform low flypast operation so that the condition of the wheel could be assessed by DGCA, AAI and ATC officials. Full emergency procedures were then rolled out and the aircraft asked to land. Everyone held his breath as the aircraft approached and breathed a sigh of relief after it touched down.
14/07/07 Times of India

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Categories: Airports Jul 2007, Jet Airways Jul 2007, Safety Jul 2007