Yet another close shave for Biman

A Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight from Muscat made an emergency landing in Dhaka yesterday after a tyre of its left landing gear burst.

Authorities of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) had to keep its lone runway shut for over two hours for which three international and three domestic flights had to be diverted to Kolkata, Mandalay in Myanmar, Chittagong and Jessore.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

"As the aircraft landed on a single tyre of the landing gear, the tyre suffered a blow-out moments before the aircraft fully stopped on the runway, possibly for failing to bear the strain," said Managing Director of Biman Bangladesh Airlines AM Mosaddique Ahmed.

The Boeing 737 has three landing gears with two tyres in each.

He said the flight was supposed to land in Chittagong but was diverted to HSIA. 

All the 149 passengers and seven crew members were evacuated safely through two exits amid all preparations for an emergency response, Biman officials said.

Before the landing, the aircraft flew in circles to burn fuel and reduce weight and to make way for takeoff and landing of some flights, they added.

Soon after the flight took off from Muscat Airport at 4:48am (BST) for Chittagong, the airport's control tower informed the captain of the aircraft of the tyre blow-out. It was also informed that some parts of the damaged tyre were found on the runway, Biman officials said.

Before its landing, the aircraft made a low-level flyby twice so that officials concerned of Biman could see whether a single tyre burst. Finally, it landed at 10:07am.

Three fire engines and several ambulances were kept ready at the airport yesterday. Buses were kept on standby near the runway, a Biman official, who was on the spot at that time, told The Daily Star.

Cold air was blown on the damaged tyre after the aircraft fully stopped, the official said.

Meanwhile, Biman has formed a four-member committee, headed by Captain Enam, deputy chief of flight safety of the airlines, to investigate the incident.

Asked whether the passengers were scared, a Biman official said the passengers were seemingly clueless about the incident as many of them were seen asking officials what happened.

About the cause of the tyre burst at Muscat, a Biman official said it might have happened due to debris on the runway.

He said some times the incidents of tyre blow-out happen due to hard landing and poor maintenance of tyres, adding that tyre blow-out during take-off was rare.