Emirates plane skids on NAIA runway

Pilot error caused a loaded Emirates Air B777-300 to skid down the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) runway early yesterday morning, causing the runway’s closure for three hours.

An incoming Cebu Pacific flight from Hong Kong was diverted to Cebu’s Mactan International Airport.

Emirates’ flight EK 335 bound for Dubai, piloted by First Officer Capt. Gregory Johnstone and co-piloted by Capt. Holger Geibson, was about to take-off from the NAIA runway at around 12:10 a.m. when its front landing gears skidded towards a grassy portion of Runway 06/24 while taxiing at the runway.

Engineer Octavio "Bing" Lina, Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) assistant general manager for operations, said that in their assessment, the aircraft failed to make a 180-degree turn at the pivot area set by MIAA at Runway 06/24, and skidded towards the side of the runway and into the grass.

MIAA’s operations, fire and medical and security teams rushed to the area to give aid to the beleaguered aircraft after they were alerted by the control tower.

The flight’s 435 passengers and 15 crewmembers were transported back to the NAIA Terminal I holding area. They were later transferred to the Manila Midtown Hotel where they were given accommodations while waiting for Emirates’ flight EK 335’s rescheduled departure at 4 p.m. yesterday.

MIAA said the B777-300 was finally towed out of the runway at around 3:30 a.m. to NAIA Terminal I’s Bay 12.

Cebu Pacific’s 5J-143 that was diverted to the Mactan-Cebu airport arrived at the NAIA at 5 a.m.

One of the runways at the NAIA — Runway 13/30 — is currently closed for repairs.

Because of this, aircrafts need to make a sharp turn at the taxiway going to the take-off area at Runway 06/24. Some pilots were noted to have difficulty making this sharp turn.