Kozhikode: Dubai-bound AI plane's tyre bursts ahead of take-off
- The pilot reported trouble in the left engine just after taxing and right before take-off
- An alternative aircraft from Mumbai has been arranged for the 190-plus passengers
FollowOver 190 passengers and crew of a Dubai-bound Air India flight from Kozhikode had a miraculous escape on Monday as the plane veered off the runway after an engine failure during take-off and suffered a tyre burst at the Karipur airport.
The pilot of the flight AI-C937 reported trouble in the left engine at 11:35 am just after taxing, and was about to take off when the incident occurred, said Airport Director K Janardhanan. Due to the engine snag, the aircraft veered off to the left from the central line of the runway by around 30 metres with the left inner tyre hitting a runway lamp and getting burst, he said.
The pilot, however, managed to retain control over the aircraft. All 191 passengers and crew are safe and have been accommodated at the airport lounge. "The engine had some fault and following the engine failure, its internal parts got fragmented and littered on the runway," the official said.
Four flights were affected as the clearing up of the runway took nearly one-and-half hours, he said. Airport Manager P P Venugopal said an alternative aircraft from Mumbai was being arranged and it was expected to take off on Monday night.
