Saturday, September 10, 2011 11:31 pm TWN, The China Post
A China Airlines (CAL) Boeing jet is seen after one of its 18 tires failed during landing at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport yesterday. No injuries or other damage was reported the incident, which occurred at 4:14 p.m., yesterday, after the passenger jet landed after a flight from Hawaii via Tokyo. (CNA)
All passengers and crew members aboard a China Airlines (CAL) jumbo jet were safe and sound after one of the airplane's tires blew out during landing at the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport yesterday afternoon.
Carrying 212 passengers, the Boeing 747-400 jet landed at the airport at 4:14 p.m., half an hour ahead of schedule. It took off from Honolulu, Hawaii, and returned to Taiwan with a transit stop in Tokyo.
Some passengers aboard were shocked by a sharp sound when the plane landed on the runway.
The captain of the CAL CI017 flight identified the blowout of the No. 13 left rear tire, one of the 18 tires of the large plane, through the electronic monitoring system in the cockpit.
Emergency rescue crews and trucks rushed to the scene after the captain informed the traffic control tower about the incident, which created a thick and long white smoke streak from the damaged tire's abrasion with ground.
Detecting no other damage, he gradually taxied the plane off the runway.
The captain also immediately told the passengers about the minor incident and put them at ease.
Following an inspection by the technical and maintenance team, a tow truck pulled the plane into the hangar for passengers to disembark.
All 212 passengers and crew members on the plane were unharmed. Some passengers said they heard a loud noise when the aircraft landed, but others said they did not feel anything unusual.
But they all gave thumbs-up to the captain and flight crew for taking them home safely. CAL is Taiwan's largest international air carrier.
The flat tire was immediately replaced. There were unconfirmed reports that the incident as caused by a puncture in the tire by an unspecified sharp object on the runway.
Air transport officials said they will carry out a thorough investigation to find the cause of the blown tire.
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