Landing plane crushes dog on airport runway

Mumbai: A dead dog on the runway delayed three-four flights at the Mumbai airport on Tuesday afternoon.
According to airport sources, a Jet Airways pilot, who was making a landing at 2.40 pm, alerted the Air Traffic Control (ATC) about the presence of a dead dog on the runway. Following this, a van was sent to check the runway which found the dog crushed. Jet Airways completely denied any such occurrence. "We have no such incident reported in our operation," said a Jet spokesperson.
However, Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd (MIAL) confirmed the incident. "Jet flight 9W 473 reported a dead dog on the runway. Consequently, the runway was closed from 2.45 pm to 3 pm," said an MIAL spokesperson. "The dog was found lying on the intersect between the two runways," he said, adding, "It was a small puppy."
ATC sources said the canine apparently found its way to the main runway through one of the many gaping holes in the airport perimeter wall, and got smashed by one of the aircraft making a landing.
It is however, unclear whether the dog was hit by the arriving Jet flight, or was smashed by another aircraft landing before it.
According to airport sources, dog intrusions on the runway has become a perennial problem, which poses high risks in flight operations. ATC officials as well as pilots say that such an incident of a plane hitting the aircraft could also have resulted in a catastrophe.
29/08/08 Chinmayi Shalya/Times of India

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Categories: Airports Aug 2008, Jet Airways Aug 2008, Safety Aug 2008