Drama at city airport as jet bursts a tyre

Published on Tuesday 13 January 2009 09:30

IT was a moment of high drama – although those involved might not even have been aware anything was happening.

Fire engines rushed out to the main runway at Edinburgh Airport yesterday after a plane burst a tyre on landing, sending up clouds of smoke as the pilot fought to control the aircraft.

Shocked onlookers said there had been an enormous bang when the British Airways plane touched down.

Nearly 100 passengers were on board flight 2938 from Gatwick as it landed yesterday afternoon.

Aviation enthusiast John Robertson, 54, an eyewitness, said: "The plane came in to land and then there was a loud bang – it sounded just like a firework going off. The aircraft then just came to a halt."

A British Airways spokesman believes passengers on board the Airbus A319 – registration GEUPC – may have been entirely oblivious to the burst tyre as the pilot worked hard to successfully control the plane as it thundered down the runway.

The accident happened at about 2.30pm as the flight from London landed. It is thought the tyre burst as it hit the ground and not in the air.

Onlookers watched as smoke built up around the plane and airport fire engines rushed to its aid.

On discovering the problem, and that there were no flames to be extinguished, the aircraft was towed away by tractor, allowing the 98 passengers on board to leave the flight safely at the airport terminal.

The British Airways spokesman said: "The passengers were able to get off at the stand they were meant to be dismounting at originally.

"Our pilots are trained to deal with such situations and there is every chance the passengers may not have known what had happened. They were certainly not in any danger."

An investigation into what happened to the aircraft promptly began, with assessors making sure that the burst tyre rubber did not impact on any other parts of the plane and therefore cause any further damage.

The airplane was scheduled to take 68 people back to Gatwick at 3.40pm, but it was not allowed to fly.

British Airways apologised for any inconvenience the accident had caused their passengers.

Assurances were made that they would be offered seats on alternative flights heading to London later on in the afternoon and evening.

Mr Robertson, of Musselburgh, had been watching the flight arrive from the Ingliston Market end of the airport where he and many other enthusiasts frequently admire planes that leave and arrive in the Capital.

He said: "It was unexpected, but it can happen to aircraft tyres."