Kingfisher's wet nightmare

Aircraft with 46 people on board skids dangerously to end of wet runway during landing; catches fire

Aircraft with 46 people on board skids dangerously to end of wet runway during landing; catches fire

Kingfisher flight IT-4124, which was carrying 42 passengers and four airline personnel from Bhavnagar in Gujarat, caught fire as it skid during landing at 4.36 pm yesterday.

The plane skidded past an HP aviation fuel depot situated dangerously close to the runway.

Bsavan Savaniu00a0 (51), a businessmen from Bhavnagar, who was on the flight, said, "The pilot had no option, but to apply emergency brakes as the plane had already taxied to the end of the runaway.

Over 17 female passengers were rescued through the emergency window."

It has emerged that the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had, in view of the ongoing construction on runway 0927, barred its use yesterday because it was wet from the rains.

LUCKY ESCAPE: Kingfisher aircraft IT-4124 caught fire as it skid during landing at Mumbai yesterday.

However, despite orders, the Air Traffic Control (ATC) permitted landing on the wet runway.

DGCA chief Nasim Zaidi said, "We had issued orders barring the use of runway 0927, as it was wet.

We have ordered a probe into why a landing was permitted, and how the plane caught fire.

We are aware that there is a fuel depot near the runway. We are also probing the danger posed by the proximity of the fuel depot."

Kingfisher spokesperson Prakash Mirpuri sought to downplay the incident. "Flight IT-4124 did skid, but it did not catch fire.

We are happy that all 42 passengers and four members of the crew were rescued in time," said Mirpuri.

Manish Kalghatgi, spokesperson, Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL), said the matter was entirely for the ATC and DGCA to handle.

"MIAL is only involved in repair and maintenance of the airport," said Kalghatgi. Kingfisher has also launched an internal inquiry into the incident and derostered the two pilots on the flight.

The Other Side

Air Traffic Control (ATC) General Manager M G Ghungare denied receiving any orders from the DGCA pertaining to runway 0927.

"We did not receive any order from the DGCA that directs us to not use runway 0927. This is why, when we were asked for permission to land the aircraft, we gave it."