Aircraft suffers blowout upon landing at Port Kaituma

– 12 passengers, pilot unhurt

Twelve passengers and a pilot escaped without injury after an aircraft suffered a blowout upon landing at the Port Kaituma Airstrip in the North West District (NWD). The incident reportedly occurred at about 8:20h. on Thursday.

Based on reports received, the aircraft, registration number 8R- BKP owned by Air Services Limited, arrived at the airstrip with twelve passengers and cargo. As the aircraft made contact with the airstrip in landing, its right-side tyre suffered a blowout, resulting in the plane coming to a complete stop.
Members of the Guyana Police Force, along with the captain, reportedly examined the aircraft and confirmed that it had suffered a tyre puncture. Persons in the area, instructed by the plant’s captain, then pushed the aircraft to the left corner of the runaway.
There was no report of injuries or any further damage to the said aircraft.
Only recently, five passengers were injured after an aircraft attached to Roraima Airways crash-landed at Haags-Bosch landfill site at Eccles on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD). The aircraft was destined for the Eugene F Correia International Airport after initially departing the Imbaimadai, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) airstrip.
As it hit the ground, emergency services were called in. A search-and- rescue operation was activated by the Timehri Control Tower, and operatives from the Guyana Defence Force and the Guyana Police Force were mobilised and dispatched to the scene of the incident.
Passengers and crew members were extracted by the firefighters and transported to the Georgetown Public Hospital, (GPHC) where they were treated. To date, the cause of that crash is unknown.
However, over the past few months, there have been several crashes in various interior locations. In July, an aircraft overshot the runway at Aricheng airstrip, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).
The aircraft, registered to Roraima Airways, overshot the runway as it was landing, and ended up in a clump of bushes. At the time of the accident, the aircraft was shuttling fuel.
Again, in July, a Cessna Caravan belonging to Jags Aviation of BK Group of Companies ran off the Eteringbang runway, Region Seven. A similar incident occurred at the Kamarang airstrip due to the disintegration of a Cessna plane’s propeller upon take off.
The aircraft was discovered to have been carrying mercury, a restricted substance which the aviation service was not authorised to transport. In relation to the Kamarang accident, the aircraft had a disintegrated propellor, and as such, the question of maintenance was raised.
Following the last accident at Aricheng airstrip, GCAA Director General, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret’d) Egbert Field, recalled that, in the past, there were issues with respect to procedures in the shuttle programme, and some revised measures had to be put in place.
“With respect to the recent accidents, we will have to assess the reports, and I will have to determine the common cause of the accident, and make the necessary recommendation,” Field said.
Following the previous two accidents, Public Works Minister Bishop Juan Edghill had ordered that the hinterland aircraft accidents be investigated with support from other agencies.