Singapore Airlines jet uses the wrong taxi route and hits object in Taipei, officials say
Fri Jul 19, 1:08 AM ET
TAIPEI, Taiwan - The wing of a Singapore Airlines jet hit a piece of equipment Friday morning as the jet took an unauthorized turn while taxiing to a runway at Taipei's international airport, Taiwanese airport officials said.
The control tower informed the pilots, and they decided that it was not serious enough to stop the Singapore-bound flight, airport police said. The plane landed safely in Singapore.
The minor incident attracted wide attention because Singapore Airlines has previously used the wrong runway in Taipei. Two years ago, a Los Angeles-bound jumbo jet tried to take off on a runway closed for construction. The plane smashed into equipment and debris, killing 83 people.
Singapore Airlines did not immediately comment on Friday's incident.
Taiwanese officials reported the incident to Taiwan's Aviation Safety Council, which was still investigating and would not comment.
Airport official Wang Teh-ho told reporters that the tip of the plane's wing hit a piece of equipment as it took a wrong turn while taxiing to its runway.
Wang said officials did not know why the plane deviated from its authorized route.
"The plane might have mistaken the tarmac for the taxi runway," he said.
Singapore Airlines has a reputation for being one of the world's safest carriers. The Taipei crash in October 2000 was its first fatal crash in about three decades of service.