The Hindu : National : U.S. plane forced to land

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 01, 2006

National

National

U.S. plane forced to land

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: A cargo aircraft owned by an American company, flying from Nigeria to Hong Kong, was forced to land in Mumbai on Sunday night after the crew and the Nairobi air traffic control (ATC) gave differing flight plans.

Intelligence agencies have been asked to verify details about the plane. Till last reports came in, the plane was still on the tarmac. The aircraft may be allowed to leave after the confusion was cleared, said Indian Air Force (IAF) sources.

The IAF had put its fighter aircraft on alert and advised airport authorities to ask the plane to land after the Nairobi ATC described it as military. The crew claimed it was a civil cargo plane belonging to Atlas Air of the U.S. The IAF took the decision as there was no route plan for the plane to fly over Indian airspace from July 27 to August 1.

The drama began unfolding just after 10 p.m. on Sunday when the Mumbai Movement Liaison Unit (MLU) called the IAF to confirm clearance for a "United States Air Force Boeing-747 aircraft" that would enter Indian airspace at 12.47 p.m. At 11 p.m., the Mumbai MLU again called the IAF's operation room to inform that the plane's crew claimed the aircraft was civil registered and had obtained clearance from the Director-General of Civil Aviation. Eight minutes after the plane entered the Indian airspace, the Duty Officer, South Western Air Command, called the MLU to say he was refusing clearance due to "suspicious change" in the aircraft's particulars from military to civil. The aircraft, however, was allowed to land at 3 a.m. and was checked by MLU officials, who confirmed that it was a civil registered aircraft. The pilot said there was a mix-up by the Nairobi ATC in forwarding its particulars.

Emergency landing

Kolkata Special Correspondent reports:

A Druk aircraft bound for Paro in Bhutan from Bangkok made an emergency landing in the Netaji Subash Chandra Bose International airport here on Monday morning, following a defect in its nose wheel, officials said. There were 60 passengers on board.

Shortly after its take-off following a transit halt for refuelling, the aircraft's commander informed Air Traffic Control that its nose wheel could not be withdrawn into the undercarriage. He sought permission to land.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National