US-Bangla aircraft makes emergency landing at Chattogram airport
US-Bangla Airlines Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar flight makes emergency landing at Shah Amanat International Airport, Chattogram at 1pm on September 26.
The Chattogram airport has been closed for all flights since the incident, sources said.
All 164 passenger and seven crew of BS-141 flight have been safely taken to the airport terminal, airport sources said.
The Boeing 737, which took off from Hazrat Shahjahal International airport in Dhaka at 11:30am, developed technical glitch with the nose wheel, said General Manager (Marketing Support and PR) of US-Bangla Airlines Quamrul Islam.
As a technical glitch developed, the flight made an emergency landing at Shah Amanat International Airport as there was no facility for emergency landing at Cox's Bazar Airport, he added.
The aircraft made several circle over the Cox’s Bazar Airport, after failing to open the nose wheel, the Captain contacted Shah Amanat International Airport requesting for an emergency landing and was immediately cleared for landing, airport sources said.
The US-Bangla flight made few circles over Chattogram Airport, the pilot dumped the aviation fuel to empty the tanks, before it made a final approach at the runway.
The cockpit crew landed on rear two wheels and gradually lowered the nose, while the fire trucks sprayed foam for safe landing. All the fire trucks and emergency crew with ambulances were at the scene.
The flight attendants opened the emergency doors simultaneously, sliding down the rafts for the passengers to quickly exit from the aircraft.
However, it safely touched down in Chattogram despite faults with the landing gear. “All the passengers are safe," said Wing Commander Sarwar-e-Jahan, manager of Chattogram Airport told media.
The Cox’s Bazar Airport does not have any facility of making emergency landing, Sarwar-e-Jahan.
When an aircraft is unable to touch down with its landing gear fully extended, it usually performs a gear-up or “belly” landing, he explained.
On March 12, at least 51 people, including 26 Bangladeshi nationals, were killed as a US-Bangla Airlines aircraft crashed and burst into flames at Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu, capital of the Himalayan country of Nepal.
