Shimla, March 24,
A major mishap was narrowly avoided at Jubbarhatti Airport on Monday morning when an Alliance Air ATR-42 aircraft arriving from Delhi encountered a technical fault during landing. The flight, which was boraded with Himachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri and DGP Dr. Atul Verma, struggled to decelerate after touchdown, forcing the pilots to apply emergency brakes at the last moment.
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According to sources, the aircraft nearly overshot the short and challenging runway before coming to a halt just in time. Witnesses reported that several passengers panicked, with some in tears as the plane neared the end of the airstrip. Even after stopping, passengers remained inside the aircraft for about 25 minutes, further heightening their anxiety.
The airline crew had alerted passengers about the technical issue before applying emergency brakes. While the landing was ultimately safe, the scare left many shaken.
Talking about it Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri in a media statement said,” landing was not upto the mark,” he stated. Adding, that, “as a layman what i could understand that the plane overshot on the runway and emergency brakes were applied, wherein the plane was stopped,” he stated. However the plane stopped after the runway finished, even crossing the studs. “And the Dharamshala flight has been cancelled,” he added.
Confirming the incident, Jubbarhatti Airport’s officiating director KP Singh stated, “The aircraft took off from Delhi after routine inspection, and no issues were reported during that flight. Engineers are now inspecting the aircraft to determine the cause of the fault.”
Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Gandhi explained that the accelerator malfunctioned, making it difficult for the pilots to slow down after landing.
In response to the incident, Alliance Air canceled three upcoming flights on this route for safety inspections. The ATR-42 aircraft operates daily between Delhi, Shimla, and Dharamshala, with multiple legs throughout the day.
Jubbarhatti Airport is regarded as one of the most challenging airports due to its tabletop structure, where the runway is perched on an elevated plateau with steep drops on both sides. The combination of a short runway and surrounding hills makes landings particularly demanding, especially in adverse weather conditions.
While Monday’s emergency did not result in casualties, it has sparked concerns over flight safety at the high-altitude airport. Authorities have assured passengers that a detailed investigation is underway and that necessary precautions will be taken to prevent such incidents in the future.
