Lion aborts take-off after flat tire

Lion aborts take-off after flat tire

KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi: A Lion Air MD-82 jetliner with
Flight No. LI 789 aborted take-off early on Monday at Wolter
Monginsidi Airport, Kendari in Southeast Sulawesi, due to a flat
tire.

The aircraft was bound for Makassar en route to Jakarta with
155 passengers on board, including six children and two infants
and eight flight crew, said head of the airport, Zainuddin CM.

The pilot was turning the plane at the end of the runway
preparing for take-off when he realized that the right tire was
punctured.

The plane was scheduled to take-off at 6:20 a.m. local time.
The passengers disembarked and were transferred by buses to the
terminal after notifying the control tower.

Technicians tried to inflate the tire but burst due to too
much pressure. It then taxied back to the apron. A spare tire was
flown in from Makassar by Pelita Air at 10 a.m., said Zainuddin.

The plane eventually resumed its flight at about 12 noon.

A Lion Air MD-82 airplane crashed on landing in the central
Java city of Solo last month, killing at least 26 people. Lion
Air blamed bad weather for the accident. --Antara