Air India Express Plane Skids on Runway After Losing Nose Wheel in Phuket
Passengers aboard an Air India Express flight endured a harrowing arrival at Thailand's Phuket airport when the aircraft nosedived onto the tarmac, resulting in a dramatic belly slide along the runway. The incident, which occurred today, involved a Boeing 737 Max operating as flight AXB938 from Hyderabad, India, and caused significant damage to the landing gear upon impact.
Details of the Terrifying Landing
According to officials at Phuket Airport, one of Thailand's busiest hubs, the plane experienced a failure of its nose wheel during landing. Footage from the scene shows the aircraft, carrying 133 people, making a hard touchdown near the beachfront, leaving a trail of smoke as it screeched to a halt without its front wheel. The metal fork of the landing gear jammed into the concrete surface, creating a long skid mark on the tarmac.
One passenger captured the approach on video, dropping his phone due to the severe impact. After retrieving it, he zoomed in on an object beside the runway, believed to be the detached landing wheel. Emergency services promptly met the plane, and all passengers were able to disembark safely without reported injuries.
Airport Disruptions and Airline Response
The airport was closed for several hours following the incident, with services resuming at 6 p.m. local time. A spokesperson for Air India Express confirmed that the aircraft "experienced an issue with the nose wheel" and stated that "the crew followed all standard protocols, and guests were deplaned." This event adds to the challenges faced by the airline, which is a subsidiary of Air India.
Broader Context for Air India
This incident occurs months after the fatal Air India flight 171 tragedy, which resulted in 260 fatalities last year. An investigation into that crash is ongoing, with officials reportedly considering deliberate pilot action after mechanical failure was ruled out. Additionally, Air India Express has recently faced scrutiny from India's aviation watchdog for allegedly failing to change engine parts on an Airbus A320 plane and falsifying related records.
The combination of these events places increased pressure on Air India and its budget arm, highlighting ongoing safety and operational concerns within the airline's operations.
