/ 8 December 2009

Another Airlink accident as plane overshoots runway

An SA Airlink plane overshot the runway at George on Monday and landed on the N2 highway, said the Western Cape safety and security department.

An SA Airlink aircraft overshot the runway at George Airport on Monday and landed near the N2 highway, the Western Cape safety and security department said.

”It didn’t affect traffic on the freeway, but 35 people were evacuated from the aeroplane, three of them with minor injuries,” said spokesperson Julian Jansen.

”It left the runway and came to a halt at an intersection between the airport and the N2 freeway.”

Police spokesperson Captain Malcolm Pojie said three crew members — a pilot, co-pilot and airhostess — and five passengers were taken to hospital ”as a standard procedure for shock and trauma”.

George municipality’s chief traffic officer Kenny Africa said everyone aboard the plane had been removed from the scene.

”The road between the airport and N2 is now closed,” he said in the afternoon.

Airlink spokesperson Karin Murray said the airline had arranged trauma counselling for all passengers and crew.

Springbok Sevens squad member Deon Helberg was among the passengers on the Embraer 135 aircraft, but was uninjured.

The 37-seater aircraft was arriving from Cape Town just before midday when it ”aquaplaned off the end of the wet runway,” said Murray.

”Weather at the time was reported as being overcast with rain.”

She said it appeared the aircraft was damaged, but the extent was unknown.

”We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused to our passengers.”

A few months ago, another Airlink plane crash-landed at school field in Durban. The pilot was fatally injured. Three people were critically hurt.

Later in the day, Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele sought to assure travellers the country was one of the safest in the world for air travel.

”We want to assure all those who make use or intend making use of air travel in South Africa that our planes and airport infrastructure are safe,” he said in a statement.

”There have been two isolated incidents of runway excursions in the past weeks, but there is nothing to panic about. South Africa has one of the best air safety records in the world.”

Runway excursions were a worldwide problem that was being ”aggressively” addressed by aviation authorities and air-safety bodies, the minister said. – Sapa