JAIPUR: A full emergency was declared at Kishangarh Airport in Rajasthan on Wednesday after a training aircraft suffered tyre damage soon after takeoff, prompting the pilot to remain airborne for more than three hours to burn fuel before making a safe landing.
The aircraft, carrying one instructor and one trainee pilot, took off at around 9:15 a.m. It is a Piper Archer trainee aircraft operated by Avyanna Aviation Academy, a Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)-approved flying training organisation.
Shortly after takeoff, the pilot informed Air Traffic Control (ATC) of a suspected tyre problem. Following information that the tyre had burst or sustained structural damage during takeoff, the aircraft remained airborne. Fuel was being burned in the air to avoid fire and explosion during landing.
Ground control and the pilots adopted a strategy of burning off fuel to reach a safe, designated lower limit before attempting an emergency landing. This reduces the aircraft's weight and minimises fire hazards during a landing with compromised landing gear.
All emergency services at the airport were immediately placed on alert as a safety precaution. Airport administration, local police, fire brigades and rescue teams, including NDRF and SDRF elements, were put on high alert at Kishangarh Airport to handle any contingencies during the landing.
An emergency was declared at the airport to facilitate a safe landing, and the pilot was instructed to hold the aircraft in the air to burn fuel. The aircraft remained airborne for more than three hours, with the pilots circling the airport in a controlled holding pattern to reduce the fuel load to a safer level.
A safe landing was subsequently carried out at Kishangarh Airport in the afternoon. Once the fuel dropped to the desired lower limit, the emergency landing was initiated. The pilots managed a controlled landing on the runway despite the damaged tyre. Throughout the operation, the pilots and ATC remained in regular communication.
Sources said runway-clearing operations were underway. The DGCA will conduct a routine technical probe to determine what caused the tyre damage during the initial takeoff sequence.