Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], March 24 : Himachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri on Monday recounted his experience flying aboar an Alliance Air flight that made an emergency landing due to technical glitch in the brakes. The Deputy CM said the landing was not up to the mark after .
Speaking to the reporters, Himachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said, "We reached Shimla via flight this morning. There was some issue with its landing... I don't know the technicalities, but I can tell as a layman that when the plane was about to land, it did not touch the ground where it should have. It could not stop and reached the spot where the runway ended. The plane turned at the edge of the runway and reached a point where it could be stopped... Strong brakes were applied to stop the plane... We had to stay in the plane for another 20-25 minutes..."
An aviation scare was reported at Shimla Airport on Monday morning when Alliance Air flight 91821, operating from Delhi to Shimla, had to apply an emergency brakes during landing due to a technical glitch.
The incident occurred at 8:21 AM, with 44 passengers including Himachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri and Director General of Police (DGP) Dr Atul Verma onboard.
According to a statement from the Airport Authority of India (AAI), the aircraft successfully landed but required immediate monitoring of its hydraulic system. The plane is currently stationed at the apron, undergoing technical inspections.
Detailing his experience onboard, Deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri said, "What exactly happened can only be explained by the Airport Authority of India and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). But one thing is certain, there was a problem with the landing. The airport authorities cannot deny this. As a passenger, I can say that when the plane was landing, it did not touch down where it was supposed to. Instead, it continued at high speed and reached the point where the runway ended."
"Normally, an aircraft turns before reaching the end of the runway and is brought to a halt at a designated point. However, in this case, the plane went beyond that point. There is a small open space beyond the runway, and I believe the available runway length fell short of the required standards for a smooth landing. The landing was not up to the mark. A sudden and forceful brake was applied to bring the aircraft to a stop." Agnihotri added.
Agnihotri revealed that after the emergency landing, passengers had to remain seated inside the aircraft for nearly 20 to 25 minutes.
"We were informed that a taxi would be arranged to transport us further. However, later we were deboarded through a different plan, and the connecting flight to Dharamshala was cancelled. Many of us had planned to travel to Shimla via Dharamshala, but now, those passengers are coming by road instead," he said.
He also emphasized that the issue was serious and required technical assessment. "Some technical glitches must have occurred. Only the authorities can explain what went wrong. DGP sir and I were both on board. The landing was clearly not up to the mark, and there was a strong application of brakes. The runway seemed to be ending fast, and it was visible to all that the aircraft had overshot it. I believe there were around 32 to 34 passengers on board," Agnihotri said.
The Airport Authority of India and DGCA are expected to conduct a detailed inquiry into the incident. While all passengers are safe, concerns have been raised about whether the aircraft met standard landing protocols.