Ah the Press...
 

It's "nose wheel" came off?! Last time I did a walk around the ATR had two!

Tuesday, 29 March 2005
Scary moments for plane passengers

Mount Cook Airlines says passengers were not in any danger, after a wheel fell off one of its planes in Christchurch.


Sixty six passengers were on the ATR 72-500 en route for Palmerston North yesterday, when its nose wheel fell off while taxiing to the runway.


Passengers report hearing a loud noise and then some saw a wheel go flying past the windows.


Lynette from Palmerston North, says the incident had an immediate impact on her and her fellow passengers, with the cabin suddenly falling silent.


She says if it had happened minutes later as they were hurtling down the runway, she is sure they would have crashed.


Mount Cook Airlines general manager, Peter O'Regan, says the accident occurred just a short distance from the terminal and none of the passengers was in any danger.


He says the wheel fell off after the axle in the nose landing gear snapped, but a second nose wheel remained attached which allowed the plane to taxi back to the terminal.


Mr O'Regan says the incident is being investigated by the airline and the Civil Aviation Authority.

Pretty balanced reporting compared to some of the alarmist crap that gets said across the ditch. Why is it that only nervous nillies seem to fly.:}

'Lynne from Palmerston North' was "sure" they'd crash.

I was at an intersection today. Cars were stopped at a red light.

Another car came through from the other direction.

Had the cars which were stopped, decided to not be stopped, I "am sure they would have crashed".

Is Lynne from Palmerston North an expert in aviation accident investigation?! If not, what is the use of publishing her comments??!!

(Steps off soap box, packs up bat and ball and goes home... )

I love the way they use the term "hurtling"

"She says if it had happened minutes later as they were hurtling down the runway, she is sure they would have crashed."

Anyone care to bet that "Lynne" was a pure fabrication?

:confused: :confused: :confused:

Ah .. a re-invention of the wheel. After it comes off, it can rapidly change direction and accelerate .. all on its own !

Tell Lynette from Palmerstone North to get a f**kin life