(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)
August 28, 2017 - 2:19 PM
KAMLOOPS - Two people on board a B.C. Wildfire Service Bird Dog escaped injury after their plane blew a tire while landing in Kamloops earlier today, Aug. 28.
Airport Manager Fred Lagace says it happened around 11 a.m. as the plane was touching down at YKA.
"The drag on that side just pulled him to the one side and he went off into the grass," he says. "Crews responded and we had maintenance people out there and they managed to get the aircraft lifted on that side and the tire replaced."
The plane was then pushed back out onto the runway and is now being inspected for any other malfunctions or damage. Initial inspections showed there was no extensive damage as a result of the mishap.
"There doesn't appear to be much damage to the aircraft," he says. "There was no damage to airport infrastructure at all so it was just a case of getting a new tire on it and getting it back on the runway."
While it isn't common for a plane to blow a tire while landing, it certainly isn't unheard of, according to Lagace. He says it happens a few times every year at the Kamloops airport.
"Much like getting a flat tire in the car it can be a bit disconcerting," he says. "It's very unusual to see damage beyond just the wheel itself but out of an abundance of caution we do like to respond with our people and give them as much of a hand as possible to get it off the runway."
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