Plane wheels jam, TDP bigwigs livid

NEW DELHI, JANUARY 20: The wheels of an Indian Airlines IA aircraft carrying 177 passengers, including eight MPs and a minister, jammed ...

NEW DELHI, JANUARY 20: The wheels of an Indian Airlines IA aircraft carrying 177 passengers, including eight MPs and a minister, jammed moments after it touched down at the IGI Airport, Palam, on Thursday morning. The massive jolt spread a wave of panic among the passengers.

The incident has led the MPs, belonging to the Telegu Desam Party TDP, to shoot off a letter to Union Civil Aviation Minister Sharad Yadav through their party office seeking a probe, Parliamentarian Munde Jagannatham told The Indian Express on Thursday evening.

8220;There could have been a crash, a serious disaster. Fortunately, the wheels of the aircraft stopped after it had moved for some time. There could have been a crash if the wheels had jammed when the plane was landing. We have written to the minister,8221; Jagannatham said. Others travelling with him were Minister of State for Home Affairs C Vidyasagar Rao and MPs K G Krishnamurthy, Suresh Reddy, Brahmahiah and Alladi P Raj Kumar, he added.

IGI Airport Director M AKhan, when contacted this evening, refused to comment. A senior airport official, however, revealed on the condition of anonymity that the incident did occur at around 9.25 am.

8220;The IC 939 aircraft which landed from Hyderabad was on the taxi track Papa8217; which is parallel to the main runway when the wheels jammed. The passengers were offloaded on the tarmac and brought to the terminal in a bus from there,8221; the official said.

He added that the craft was repaired and it was only around 2.45 p.m. that it was moved away from the taxi track. A senior Airport Authority of India AAI official, who refused to divulge details, said: 8220;It8217;s got nothing to do with the Airports Authority. Contact the Indian Airlines people.8221;

IA officials too remained elusive. 8220;I cannot speak right now. I am in a meeting,8221; one of the airline8217;s director said, when contacted this evening. Chairman-cum-Managing Director of the Indian Airlines Anil Baijal is reportedly out of town.

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Meanwhile, airport sources said that thewheels had stopped due to 8220;brake binding.8221;