Dublin jet skids off runway
A Ryanair jet from Dublin has slid off the runway at Glasgow Prestwick airport after hitting a patch of ice, coming to a halt on grass 30 yards from the perimeter fence and a dual carriageway.
Wednesday, 23 December 2009
No one on board was hurt and relieved passengers praised the pilot for managing to avert a major accident.
David Carson who works in one of the hangers saw what happened and told UTV it would have been a real shock for those on board.
"We don't know whether it came in what they call 'hot' - a bit fast," he said.
"But as it reached the end of the runway, basically rather than heading back towards the terminal building, it skidded off into the grass ... It will have been a bit of a jolt for them."
Passenger Philip O'Reilly, 50, said: "We landed on the tarmac, the plane was moving very fast, and I realised it wasn't going to stop in time.
"The pilot, as far as I know, reversed the thrusters and either steered off the runway or accidentally came off, I don't know which."
'Great job'
Mr O'Reilly, from Castlebar, County Mayo, Ireland, added: "All I can say is it was very skilful - he did a great job."
Ryanair said the plane involved was an incoming flight from Dublin with six crew on board.
One hundred and twenty-nine people were on board the Boeing 737-800, which can carry up to 189 travellers.
The airline said: "After a normal landing was completed and while taxiing from the runway the aircraft encountered ice and slid just off the runway on to the grass verge.
"Passengers disembarked normally and were bussed to the terminal.
"Ryanair engineers are at the aircraft, which appears to have suffered no damage and they are working with Glasgow Prestwick to return the aircraft to the stand area so that the runway can be reopened with minimum delay."
© UTV News