In a near mishap, a GoAir flight arriving in Bengaluru from Nagpur landed just off the runway at the Kempegowda International Airport on Monday. The flight immediately took off again and landed on the runway in its second attempt.
Flight G811 departed early Monday morning from Nagpur, and was set to reach Bengaluru at 7.15 am. Preliminary reports suggest that severe fog conditions in Bengaluru resulted in poor visibility, which led to the incident.
Passengers and crew on board did not report any serious injuries, sources said.
Officials at the Kempegowda International Airport declined to comment on the incident, stating that only the airline and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) have the authority to speak on the issue. DGCA has launched an inquiry into the matter.
In a statement, GoAir said, "GoAir flight G8 811 from Nagpur to Bengaluru had carried out go around at Bengaluru and diverted to Hyderabad. All the passengers, crew and aircraft landed safely at Hyderabad. This reportable incident was reported immediately to the DGCA – the industry regulator."
In July, an Air India Express flight travelling from Delhi to Mangaluru veered off the taxiway and skid onto a patch of grass and mud at Mangalore International Airport. All 183 passengers and six crew members aboard the plane were safe.
At the time, the Mangalore International Airport Director VV Rao told TNM, "The pilot, while attempting to land, could not establish a stable approach so the aircraft circled the runway and landed in the second attempt.
He added, “The aircraft skid after the pilot was unable to control the speed while turning from the runway to the taxiway. The pilot has to slow down and turn into the taxiway. If the aircraft is fast, a 90-degree turn is not possible so it is because of speed this has happened."