Melbourne Closed ?
 

Just saw this NOTAM. Whats happening ?

C622/05 REVIEW C621/05
AD NOT AVBL DUE PAVEMENT DAMAGE
FROM 10 260228 TO 10 260300 EST

but wait.. there's more:

AD NOT AVBL DUE PAVEMENT DAMAGE
FROM 10 260258 TO 10 260400 EST

Sky news reports Thai airlines touches down hard, and shredded two tyres [due "crosswinds"]

Thai Airways...hard landing causing undercarriage fire. Couldn't have picked a better spot to stop..unfortunately right at the rwy intersection. Doh!

32 minutes of something (EST!)

I hear Capt. Murphy is quietly impressed with his effort.

This is where QANTAS's minimum fuel policy *shines*

I wondered why it was so quiet overhead.

Melbourne airport at standstill
 

From seven.com.au

Melbourne airport at standstill
Date: 26/10/05

A Thai Airways jet has blown several tyres upon landing at Melbourne airport, which has been brought to a standstill.

The plane was stranded at the intersection of two runways at the airport, said a spokesman for air traffic control agency Airservices Australia.

The Airbus A340 "landed heavily" and "damaged a number of wheels on landing", the spokesman told AAP.

"There was a small fire in the undercarriage," he said.

Planes are being diverted to Adelaide and Avalon airports for the time being and engineers are looking at the under-carriage to see whether the plane can be towed.

So far, 12 planes had been diverted from the airport or delayed.



And various other media:


Passenger jet landing scare
By Paul Colgan and AAP
26oct05

MELBOURNE airport was shut to all traffic for nearly two hours today after the tyres blew out on a Thai Airways jet when it landed in a strong crosswind.

Thai Airways Flight 981 from Bangkok came to a halt on the intersection between the two runways at Australia\'s second-busiest airport.

The Airbus A340 has now been moved to a taxiway and the airport has opened for business again.

No passengers were injured but the airport was forced to divert all traffic to Avalon and Adelaide airports.

A spokesman for the Air Transport Safety Bureau said the plane shredded three tyres on its main landing gear after landing heavily.

"There was a strong crosswind," the spokesman said.

ATSB officials are likely to conduct an investigation.

A Melbourne Airport spokeswoman said there was a possibility the hydraulics of the aircraft had been damaged in the landing.

Passengers had been safely escorted into the terminal afterwards, she said.

The aircraft was stranded at the intersection of two runways at the airport and air traffic controllers reported a small fire in the undercarriage as it landed on Runway 16.

"There was a small fire in the undercarriage," he said. At least 12 planes were diverted from the airport or delayed.

aircraft hit the ground pretty hard and swerved all over the runway...lots of smoke everywhere...

aircraft stopped on taxiway juliet and was surrounded by airport fire services...all passengers were bussed to the terminal approx. 1 hour after the incident...

airport was closed for around 2 hours, all flights diverting, most to AVV, ADL and LST...

Rex 3471 ex. Merimbula diverted to Essendon, and departed around 2.30pm back to Melbourne...all passengers were bussed to Melbourne from Essendon...

Eventful day...all happened just as I clocked off, so left the mess to the afternoon shift :ok: :D :D

Latest ATIS RW 27 avbl, RW 16 remains closed due pavement damage.

Are the press reports of the aircraft landing RWY16 and stopping on the RWY27 intersection correct? If so, no wonder there was a (brake?) fire, that's not much of a landing roll! :eek:

When I saw it the airport was still closed and from memory it was parked on taxiway Juliet (most likely) or possibly Kilo surrounded by fire appliances etc.

I went through ML this morning, and the wind was gusting to 50 kts - luckily straight down 34.

Fun Fun Fun!!

Clarie
You are right it didn't pull up at the intersection. Apparantly it did damage at the interesection which is why both rwys were closed for a while.

willadvise, if it only had 2 engines then perhaps only one is missing. The Thai website says TG981 into MEL on WED is a MD-11.:{

http://www.thaiairways.com.au/flight_sch/

VT

http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/20...r_airport1.jpg
There you go...an Airbus!

Ch9 in DRW's just shown footage (claimed to be) of the aircraft on final approach.

The comentary says (something to the effect that) a gust of wind knocked it off course. The footage is good enough that I reckon one can see a fair bit of right rudder deflection.

The actual touchdown couldn't be seen, except for the fin over the obstacles in the foreground.

Later shots showed not much of a STBD tyre left!

Touch wood.

Was there any mention of a croc on the runway..?

How do you say 'tea and biccies' in Thai, is it 'Gaeng Keow Warn'? :)

Just goes to highlight the accuracy or otherwise of the internet..................................

VT