Air Ambulance Lands in Mumbai After Losing Wheel
The Mumbai airport saw anxious moments as an air ambulance had to make an emergency landing after one of its wheels fell off.
The Beechcraft VT-JIL aircraft belonged to Jetserve Aviation. This was not a normal passenger flight. It was an ‘Air Ambulance’. The flight carried 02 crew members, 01 patient, 01 relative and 01 doctor. On 6th May It had taken off from Bagdogra in West Bengal at 4:30pm and was on its way to Mumbai. The flight stopped at Nagpur to refuel at 5:15pm. After refueling, the flight took off. Immediately after, a CISF staffer saw that one wheel of the aircraft had fallen off. He immediately alerted airport authorities and the Nagpur Air Traffic Controller (ATC). The ATC then informed the Mumbai Airport. Officials decided that the plane would land at the Mumbai airport but since one of the wheels had fallen off, instead of landing on the wheels, the flight would do a ‘Belly Landing’. This means the flight will use its underside to land. The pilot of the aircraft, Keshari Singh, said he had to burn a lot of fuel before he landed to reduce the weight of the aircraft to ensure a safe landing.
The situation at the Mumbai Airport was very tense. Officials spread fire suspension foam on the runway to help the aircraft avoid catching fire. The airport's emergency response team including the fire and rescue responders, medical team amongst many others were on standby to provide immediate assistance to ensure the safe evacuation of the passengers. Fortunately the flight landed safely at 9:09 pm. All the passengers & the pilot are safe. The patient has been moved to Nanavati Hospital in Mumbai.
