Navy aircraft blocks Phuket Airport runway after landing gear malfunction
Surveillance aircraft suffers landing gear failure, forcing temporary closure of Phuket airport runway
A Thai Navy aircraft blocked the runway at Phuket International Airport today, October 8, after experiencing a landing gear malfunction during landing. No injuries were reported.
The incident occurred at 11.14am, prompting airport authorities to issue an urgent announcement and temporarily close the runway to ensure passenger safety. Passengers have been advised to check their flight status directly with their airlines, as several commercial flights were affected.
The aircraft involved was identified as a T-337 observation plane, or Cessna O-2 Skymaster, operated by the Royal Thai Navy. The plane has been in service with the Royal Thai Navy for over 40 years and was conducting a routine maritime patrol mission at the time.
According to Navy spokesperson Rear Admiral Parach Rattanachaiyaphan, the aircraft was tasked with monitoring activities such as drug trafficking and smuggling along Thailand’s maritime borders. The admiral also issued an apology for the temporary closure of the airport runway.
“The Navy apologises for the inconvenience caused by the landing gear issue. All relevant teams are working quickly to remove the aircraft and minimise disruption.”
The landing gear reportedly failed to deploy properly during landing, causing the aircraft to come to a stop on the runway. The Navy stated that an urgent operation was underway to remove the aircraft from the airstrip. The clearance process was expected to be completed by 3.30pm, or earlier.
In a similar airport runway scare last year, Thai Airways flight TG466 from Melbourne veered off the edge of the runway while landing at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport on September 14.
The Airbus A350-900 struck seven runway edge lights before the crew regained control and returned to the centreline. The aircraft later taxied safely to the gate. No injuries were reported. Scattered thunderstorms and poor visibility likely affected landing procedures.
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