Taiwan: Plane Lands Without Wheel – Airport Briefly Closed

A Tigerair flight from Macau experienced a landing gear malfunction upon arrival at Kaohsiung International Airport in Taiwan on Sunday, September 29, 2024, disrupting operations at the airport for approximately 90 minutes. The incident involved flight IT322, which was unable to taxi to the gate under its own power due to a failure in the nose wheel.

According to a statement from Kaohsiung International Airport’s deputy director, Hong Jian-nan (洪建男), the aircraft was “unable to turn due to a nose wheel failure.” The runway was subsequently closed at 12:40 p.m. local time, impacting the arrival and departure of 13 international flights and affecting an estimated 2,315 passengers.

Four flights were diverted to alternate airports as a result of the runway closure: Daily Air flight 7010, Cathay Pacific flight 424, Daily Air flight 651, and China Airlines flight 586. Airport operations resumed at approximately 2:00 p.m. after the aircraft was towed from the runway.

The incident at Kaohsiung Airport was not the only issue experienced by Tigerair on Sunday, September 29, 2024. Flight IT236, scheduled to travel from Taoyuan to Hakodate, experienced an electronic signal abnormality shortly after takeoff and was forced to return to Taoyuan Airport. A backup aircraft was deployed to accommodate the 175 passengers originally scheduled on the flight, following emergency maintenance work on the initial aircraft. The replacement flight eventually departed at 12:17 p.m. and arrived in Hakodate at approximately 4:23 p.m., resulting in a nearly five-hour delay.

The events at Kaohsiung and Taoyuan airports highlight potential challenges within Taiwan’s aviation infrastructure and raise questions about maintenance protocols for regional carriers. While the Kaohsiung incident involved a mechanical failure of a landing gear component, the issue with flight IT236 points to possible concerns regarding electronic systems.

Separately, on Monday, September 2, 2022, a Scoot flight operating from Seoul to Singapore landed at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport with a missing nose wheel. Flight TR897 landed safely, and no injuries were reported. Preliminary investigations indicated that tyre pressure had been detected as abnormal prior to the aircraft’s descent. Upon landing, the left nose wheel was found to be missing, and the axle showed signs of wear. This incident led to the cancellation of the flight’s return journey to Singapore.

Scoot issued a statement acknowledging the technical failure and confirming that the aircraft was undergoing maintenance. The airline emphasized that passenger safety remained its top priority.

Another incident involving a Scoot aircraft occurred when a plane landed at Taoyuan airport with a missing wheel. Footage from local news channel EBC showed the aircraft taxiing on the tarmac with one nose wheel absent. The airline confirmed that the left nose wheel had fallen off during landing after sensors detected abnormal tyre pressure before descent.

According to the aviation safety portal SKYbrary, the nose wheel plays a crucial role in directional control during takeoff and landing, enabling aircraft to maneuver on the ground. The repeated occurrence of landing gear issues involving flights arriving in Taiwan raises concerns about the potential for more serious incidents and the need for thorough investigations into the causes of these failures.

The Taoyuan airport authorities confirmed that no debris from the missing wheel was found on the runway or taxiway following the Scoot flight’s landing. The incident prompted an immediate inspection of other aircraft operating from the airport to ensure the safety of subsequent flights.

These incidents underscore the importance of rigorous maintenance checks and adherence to safety regulations within the aviation industry. While the immediate consequences of these events were limited to flight disruptions and delays, the potential for more severe outcomes necessitates a proactive approach to identifying and addressing potential risks.