A major tragedy was averted on Monday at Shimla's Jubbarhatti Airport after a technical glitch forced the pilot of an Alliance Air flight to apply emergency brakes just in time. The aircraft was carrying 44 passengers, including Himachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri and the state's Director General of Police (DGP) Atul Verma.
According to reports, the pilot encountered a technical glitch that prevented the plane from slowing down during its approach, which prompted the urgent application of emergency brakes. The quick response is believed to have prevented a potential disaster.
The Alliance Air flight, which shuttles between Delhi, Shimla, and Dharamsala, had just landed when the issue occurred. As a precaution, the scheduled onwards flight to Dharamsala was cancelled following the incident. Alliance Air is yet to release an official statement addressing the technical failure or the safety procedures that followed.
Himachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister's statement
Following the incident, Himachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Agnihotri said the plane failed to land at the usual spot and instead overshot the runway. "We reached Shimla via flight this morning. There was some issue with its landing. I don't know the technicalities, but as a layman, I can say the plane didn't touch down where it should have. It couldn't stop and reached the very edge of the runway," he shared. He added that the aircraft turned sharply at the end and came to a halt only after strong brakes were applied. "We had to stay inside the plane for another 20–25 minutes after that," he said, reflecting on the close call that left passengers shaken.
ALSO READ: Alliance Air no longer part of Air India | Details