By A Staff Reporter, Kathmandu, Sept. 27: An aircraft belonging to Buddha Air that bound to Biratnagar from Kathmandu encountered a problem in landing gear when reached Biratnagar airport made a ‘normal’ landing after returning to Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu on Monday.  

Buddha Air's call sign 9N-ANI flight that flew from Kathmandu to Biratnagar at 8:33 am carrying 73 passengers including three infants, two children and 68 adults returned to Kathmandu after efforts to land the aircraft despite four to five times attempt to land the plane at the Biratnagar airport. There were four crew members in the aircraft.

Upon arriving at the Kathmandu airport, the aircraft made at least rounds in the sky of Kathmandu and made a successful landing after the initially failed wheels of the aircraft opened in several attempts.  

According to a press statement issued by Buddha Air, the plane returned to Kathmandu after the air traffic control room in Biratnagar informed that the landing gear of the plane could not be seen open for the landing.

According to the statement, there are two types of indicators for showing the landing gear of the aircraft- one is primary and another is the secondary indicator. During the time, the primary indicator of the aircraft did not show any sign-in indicator although the secondary indicator has shown the indicator in the right condition. When the secondary indicator shows light blinking in the right condition, it is considered as ready to land.  

The statement further mentioned that before landing the aircraft, the captain AG Sherpa made contact to the technical team of Buddha Air and the Captain was informed that the landing gear was opened and remained in the right position.

The airlines has also sought pardon from all the passengers and families for facing the hassle and informed that the passengers will be taken safely to their destination managing other flight.

 Before landing the aircraft, the security team and the airlines have set up aerodrome rescue and firefighting service under the emergency plan of the airport at TIA, according to Rinji Sherpa, Chief of Flight Operation Department, and Spokesperson for the TIA.

According to Purna Chudal, domestic terminal chief for the TIA office, the aircraft had to remain on hold for at least 24 minutes in the Kathmandu sky and landed normally and successfully at 10:27 am Monday.  The ATC of TIA instructed the aircraft to make round the airport so as to reduce air-fuel to minimize huge damage, according to the statement.

Meanwhile, another Buddha Air flight bound for Pokhara on Monday returned to Kathmandu after finding technical problems in the indicator when it reached Manakamana in Gorkha.

Sherpa said that the U-601-9 NAJO, which flew from Kathmandu to Pokhara at 7.30 am, returned to Kathmandu before reaching Pokhara.

After resolving the problem, the aircraft has returned to Pokhara. "The aircraft returned to its destination again after resolving the problem," he said.