The Guernsey-resident pilot of this aircraft escaped injury when its nosewheel collapsed on landing in Alderney yesterday, blocking the runway. (Picture by Ian Laurence, 0555778)
THE nosewheel of a private aircraft collapsed on landing at Alderney airport yesterday. The aircraft came down at 10.40am and screeched, nose down, to a halt.
The Guernsey-resident pilot was the only person aboard the American-registered plane and he was unhurt. Alderney resident Colin Ensor was waiting to board a flight to Southampton when he saw the accident.
Mr Ensor, 64, of Simon’s Place, said: ‘I heard a big screeching noise, looked up and saw the aircraft doing around 40mph. Everything looked to be going OK until the front end collapsed and nosedived into the tarmac. The alarm bell went off and everybody rushed outside to see what had happened,’ he said.
‘Everyone was waiting for the pilot to get out, but it took him a while to emerge.
‘He was probably in shock.’
The fire crew, police and an ambulance were quickly on the scene.
Guernsey airport director Colin Le Ray said: ‘Fortunately, this is a rare event.
‘The fire and ambulance crews rehearse these situations regularly and there is nothing to suggest they did anything but an excellent job.’
Alderney’s runway was closed and incoming flights were diverted and those from the island delayed.
The airport reopened its grass runway after an hour and regular services were resumed at 2pm after the stricken light aircraft had been removed from the main runway.
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