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