Tata Steel plane has a 'heavy landing'

DGCA, police initiate probe

BY A CORRESPONDENT
May 1, 2006

A KingAir C-90 aircraft owned by Tata Steel had a heavy landing at the steel city of Jamshedpur on Thursday. All the passengers and the crew of the six-seater aircraft had a brush with disaster, as the tyres of the aircraft burst and the wheels got damaged during the landing.

The aircraft, which was carrying top Tata and Tinplate officials had taken off from Calcutta at 6.45 PM. The plane reached Jamshedpur when the city was braving a hailstorm. Though the heavy rain came as a welcome relief to the township, the aircraft had problems landing, and skidded off the runway.

All the passengers and crew were admitted to hospital. Tata Steel MD (flat products) Anand Sen had a minor spinal injury. All have been released from the hospital.

The police have registered two FIRs against the captain of the plane, which say the pilot landed the plane without permission from the aerodrome authorities amid inclement weather. The police have also asked the authorities to furnish the names of those who were on duty at the time of the incident.

Two teams from the DGCA have already conducted inspections of the aircraft to find out the reasons for the heavy landing. More inspection is expected on Monday.