Boeing skids off runway

Boeing skids off runway

UJUNGPANDANG, South Sulawesi (JP): A Boeing 737 owned by
Mandala Airlines skidded off the runway shortly after landing at
Hasanuddin Airport on Monday.

All the crew and 80 passengers, including three babies, left
the aircraft unharmed.

The accident, however, caused departure and arrival delays for
big sized aircraft, including those carrying haj pilgrims
returning from Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Mandala flight number MDL-493 was on a stopover from Manado in
North Sulawesi to Jakarta.

Airport head Sutopo Bona said he suspected strong winds caused
the aircraft to slip off runway 31. It was raining when the
airplane landed, restricting visibility to between four
kilometers and six kilometers.

"The head wind was measured at between 15 knots and 25 knots
per hour, which is above average. At those speeds, wind usually
troubles certain kinds of aircraft," Sutopo said.

The plane almost did a 180-degree turn.

The plane overhung the runway by five meters, making it
impossible for big airplanes to take off or land.

Sutopo said airport workers would have the Boeing 737 removed
by 5 a.m. Central Indonesia Time, another batch of haj pilgrims
would have to land at Ngurah Rai Airport in Denpasar, Bali, and
change to smaller aircraft to reach here.

Strong winds caused a Bouraq airliner to skid off the same
runway two months ago. (27)