http://www.leedstoday.net/ViewArticl...icleID=1030931
Terror on the runway as Airbus brakes fail
By Geoff Fox
PASSENGERS on a flight from Spain have described the terrifying moments their plane overshot the runway at Leeds.
Dozens of the 171 passengers on board the flight from Fuertaventura screamed when the brakes failed on the Airbus A320 run by Spanish airline LTE, which touched down at Leeds Bradford Airport shortly after 12.30pm yesterday.
The plane careered down the runway, swaying from left to right as the flight crew struggled to gain control. The pilot was finally able to stop the plane after ploughing into a grass verge at the very end of the runway.
"It was terrifying," said Bernice Manuel, 62, from Morley. "We went hurtling down past all the buildings, crossing over different runways.
"We could hear the squealing of the tyres and smell the rubber burning. The pilot swung us round and we were being banged side to side. We were waiting for the big crash."
But fortunately, for Mrs Manuel and her husband Barry, 65, the crash never came. All the passengers escaped shocked but unhurt. Mrs Manuel added: "Just another inch or two and we would have gone down the slope at the end of the runway. I'm still shaking."
Mr Manuel said the pilot made an announcement, informing passengers the brakes had failed and asking them to remain strapped into their seats. It took 30 minutes until airport staff were able to escort people off the rear of the plane.
"It was pretty nerve wracking," said fellow passenger Dan Stanek, 31, from Shipley. "It could've been a lot more serious if it had gone much further. We didn't realise until we got off the plane just how close it was."
Disappointed
John and Ruth Church from Durkar, Wakefield, say they had been disappointed with the standard of the flight, but had not been expecting the problems that occurred upon landing.
Mrs Church, 53, said: "It was really frightening. We didn't realise what was happening. We were racing down the runway and the next thing we knew we could see smoke coming from the tyres.
An investigation was immediately launched to find the cause of the problem. That led to lengthy delays with the runway closed to both incoming and outgoing flights for several hours.
Sally Ramsay, a manager at the airport, said: "An A320 LTE aircraft arriving from Fuertaventura at 12.40pm had problems on landing which resulted in it coming to rest on the end of the runway. The 171 passengers on board were disembarked using the aircraft steps and coached back to the terminal building for their return journey home. There were no injuries to any passengers.The air accident investigation team will identify the cause after further investigation."
