Mumbai:
The Kingfisher Airlines has denied reports that its pilots ran away after their plane skidded off the runway at the Mumbai airport on Tuesday.
Earlier, sources had said that after the plane skidded to a halt at the airport, at least one pilot was seen jumping out of the cockpit and running away after landing the plane.
According to eyewitnesses, the pilots came out from the top hatch of the cockpit even before the safety crew had reached the spot and while the engine was till running. A Kingfisher van took the pilots away.
Also, just four minutes before the Kingfisher aircraft landed and skid off the shortened runway at the airport, an Air India flight, IC 164 from Goa to Mumbai, landed and bounced twice, stopping just short at the tip of the runway. And while coming to a halt it damaged two runway edge lights, sources said.
The Kingfisher ATR aircraft, coming in from Bhavnagar (Gujarat) and with 42 passengers and four crewmembers on board, had overshot the runway after it landed. Three people, including the pilot, suffered minor injuries. Sources said after bringing the Kingfisher aircraft to a halt, the pilot jumped out of the cockpit and ran.
On Wednesday morning, the plane was lifted and put on a trailer to be taken to a remote bay. Both the Kingfisher pilots have been taken off duty pending an internal inquiry, but the airline has raised questions about the airport's role in the incident. For six hours every Tuesday, only half the standard runway is available for take-off and landing at Mumbai Airport, due to ongoing renovation. The Kingfisher flight landed on this shorter runway, in a touchdown complicated by poor visibility and rain.
Kingfisher claims that it had earlier requested airport authorities to make the entire length of the runway available, instead of just half, because the DGCA forbids take-offs and landings on a short runway once it is wet.
The airline is likely to make the point that if the ATC saw the problems with IC 164, why did it allow the Kingfisher ATR to land.
Earlier, sources had said that after the plane skidded to a halt at the airport, at least one pilot was seen jumping out of the cockpit and running away after landing the plane.
According to eyewitnesses, the pilots came out from the top hatch of the cockpit even before the safety crew had reached the spot and while the engine was till running. A Kingfisher van took the pilots away.
Also, just four minutes before the Kingfisher aircraft landed and skid off the shortened runway at the airport, an Air India flight, IC 164 from Goa to Mumbai, landed and bounced twice, stopping just short at the tip of the runway. And while coming to a halt it damaged two runway edge lights, sources said.
The Kingfisher ATR aircraft, coming in from Bhavnagar (Gujarat) and with 42 passengers and four crewmembers on board, had overshot the runway after it landed. Three people, including the pilot, suffered minor injuries. Sources said after bringing the Kingfisher aircraft to a halt, the pilot jumped out of the cockpit and ran.
On Wednesday morning, the plane was lifted and put on a trailer to be taken to a remote bay. Both the Kingfisher pilots have been taken off duty pending an internal inquiry, but the airline has raised questions about the airport's role in the incident. For six hours every Tuesday, only half the standard runway is available for take-off and landing at Mumbai Airport, due to ongoing renovation. The Kingfisher flight landed on this shorter runway, in a touchdown complicated by poor visibility and rain.
Kingfisher claims that it had earlier requested airport authorities to make the entire length of the runway available, instead of just half, because the DGCA forbids take-offs and landings on a short runway once it is wet.
The airline is likely to make the point that if the ATC saw the problems with IC 164, why did it allow the Kingfisher ATR to land.
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