CHENNAI, MARCH 6: A Boeing 747 cargo aircraft of Air France was fully gutted after it caught fire on crash-landing at Chennai airport around midnight yesterday. The airport was inoperational for nearly 15 hours, and all the airlines were forced to either cancel their flights or reschedule them.
However, there was no loss of life due to the mishap. The pilot of the aircraft, Commander Jeans, and four other crew members (three Frenchmen and one Indian) had a miraculous escape. While one of the crew members came down through a rope ladder, the other four were brought down through the rear of the aircraft using the fire engine step ladders. However, the Indian crew member, who came down the rope ladder, sustained a leg injury, requiring surgery. He was operated upon at a private hospital in the city at about 3 pm since the pelvis bone of his right leg had opened up, doctors said. The AAI is hoping to make the runway completely operational by Saturday night, and normality in services is expected to be restoredby Sunday.
About 66 tonnes of cargo material loaded in the Jumbo Jet which came from Bangalore was completely destroyed in the fire. Sources said the aircraft was carrying about 20 tonnes of cigarettes, three cars, garments, medicines and chemicals. Several onlookers who saw the flame from the GST Road said they saw a ball of fire.
The aircraft with flight N. 6745, which came in from the Pallavaram end, is said to have crash-landed as the nose wheel did not open when the flight landed on the main runway. The aircraft came to a grinding halt after it travelled for about 7,000 ft of the runway, whose total length is 12,050 feet. A loud noise was heard for about two kms and smoke could be seen emanating from the nose of the aircraft. Fire tenders were immediately pressed into service.
Airports Authority of India (AAI) Chennai airport director Sudhir Kumar, briefing mediapersons, said the aircraft, which was scheduled to land at 11.22 pm on Friday night, landed at 11.29 pm. The aircraft `skipped' onelanding, went back and again came for landing, he said. ``The aircraft got bogged down and the runway was blocked. Since the aircraft was stranded in the middle of the runway, air services from and to Chennai were suspended. A `notem' (notice to airmen) was issued to this effect after the crash-landing.
Airport sources said the pilot of the aircraft had come in for ILS (Instrument Landing System) landing, but suddenly the pilot reported to the Air Traffic Control Tower (ATC) that he was not landing due to a technical snag and that he would circle and come again. He did not specify what the snag was, it is reported.
The frequency for the aircraft was changed and put to the radar controller. According to preliminary investigation, the pilot was asked by the radar controller if he needed any assistance, but the pilot replied in the negative. He circled over the Chennai airport and again came for landing.
However, this time, the pilot sought for visual landing and did not use the ILS facility. The ATCasked the pilot again if he wanted any aid, but the pilot said there was no problem and he was landing.
However, there was no loss of life due to the mishap. The pilot of the aircraft, Commander Jeans, and four other crew members (three Frenchmen and one Indian) had a miraculous escape. While one of the crew members came down through a rope ladder, the other four were brought down through the rear of the aircraft using the fire engine step ladders. However, the Indian crew member, who came down the rope ladder, sustained a leg injury, requiring surgery. He was operated upon at a private hospital in the city at about 3 pm since the pelvis bone of his right leg had opened up, doctors said. The AAI is hoping to make the runway completely operational by Saturday night, and normality in services is expected to be restoredby Sunday.
About 66 tonnes of cargo material loaded in the Jumbo Jet which came from Bangalore was completely destroyed in the fire. Sources said the aircraft was carrying about 20 tonnes of cigarettes, three cars, garments, medicines and chemicals. Several onlookers who saw the flame from the GST Road said they saw a ball of fire.
The aircraft with flight N. 6745, which came in from the Pallavaram end, is said to have crash-landed as the nose wheel did not open when the flight landed on the main runway. The aircraft came to a grinding halt after it travelled for about 7,000 ft of the runway, whose total length is 12,050 feet. A loud noise was heard for about two kms and smoke could be seen emanating from the nose of the aircraft. Fire tenders were immediately pressed into service.
Airports Authority of India (AAI) Chennai airport director Sudhir Kumar, briefing mediapersons, said the aircraft, which was scheduled to land at 11.22 pm on Friday night, landed at 11.29 pm. The aircraft `skipped' onelanding, went back and again came for landing, he said. ``The aircraft got bogged down and the runway was blocked. Since the aircraft was stranded in the middle of the runway, air services from and to Chennai were suspended. A `notem' (notice to airmen) was issued to this effect after the crash-landing.
Airport sources said the pilot of the aircraft had come in for ILS (Instrument Landing System) landing, but suddenly the pilot reported to the Air Traffic Control Tower (ATC) that he was not landing due to a technical snag and that he would circle and come again. He did not specify what the snag was, it is reported.
The frequency for the aircraft was changed and put to the radar controller. According to preliminary investigation, the pilot was asked by the radar controller if he needed any assistance, but the pilot replied in the negative. He circled over the Chennai airport and again came for landing.
However, this time, the pilot sought for visual landing and did not use the ILS facility. The ATCasked the pilot again if he wanted any aid, but the pilot said there was no problem and he was landing.
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