In a freak accident, a tractor driver’s footwear is believed to have caused the vehicle to veer out of control and smash into a Kingfisher aircraft that was about to take-off, at the airport here. The incident happened on Wednesday morning, when a cargo tractor operated by a private air cargo clearance firm was being driven across the tarmac, where the Chennai-Bangalore Kingfisher Red flight IT 2494 was getting ready to leave. The flight had 35 passengers on board, who were strapped in and were awaiting departure at 9 am.
According to airport sources, the vehicle driver was wearing an open pair of sandals, the strap of which got caught in the accelerator and caused the vehicle to surge forward. In the ensuing confusion, the tractor is believed to have moved at breakneck speed towards the small plane and rammed its nose. “The tractor did not damage the plane much, but the nosewheel was dented and there are bound to be repairs,” said an airport source.
Following the incident, the passengers were quickly offloaded and were booked on Jet Airways and Air India flights to Bangalore which departed soon after. Given the fact that such an accident happened on the tarmac, where strict precautions are taken with regard to the proximity of ground-handling vehicles and aircraft, a DGCA probe has been called for. Only after the probe is completed, the aircraft will be able to fly again, said sources.
This is the third time in 2012 that a stray incident has been reported involving tractors that have damaged aircraft on the tarmac.
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