Shimla: A major accident was narrowly avoided at Jubbarhatti Airport on Monday morning when an Alliance Air flight from Delhi to Shimla faced a technical issue during landing. The aircraft, carrying 44 passengers, including Himachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri and Director General of Police (DGP) Dr. Atul Verma, was forced to apply emergency brakes after its tyre burst mid-air.
According to airport sources, flight number 91821 encountered a brake failure during descent, leading to a rough landing that stopped the aircraft halfway down the runway. Fortunately, the plane remained within the runway limits, preventing a catastrophe. However, due to security concerns, the subsequent flight to Dharamshala was canceled.
Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, who later reached the Vidhan Sabha, confirmed that the aircraft did not stop at its designated spot and overshot the expected landing point, causing a significant jolt to the passengers. “The exact cause of the malfunction will be determined by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), but the situation was alarming,” he stated.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu also acknowledged the incident, citing reports from the police that the plane’s tyre had burst mid-air, necessitating the emergency landing. “We will discuss the matter with the Civil Aviation Minister for further investigation and necessary action,” he added.
Passengers were held inside the aircraft for about 20-25 minutes following the emergency landing. The incident also affected travel plans, as several MLAs from Dharamshala could not reach Shimla due to the flight cancellation.
