US military plane makes emergency landing

ISLAMABAD: A military aircraft of the United States Army on Friday made an emergency landing at the Benazir Bhutto International airport after a bird hit one of its engines.

The aircraft had 105 people onboard, including 100 officials of the Pakistan Army and Air Force, and five US crew members.  All flights at the airport remained closed for at least an hour while arrangements were being made for the safe landing of the US military aircraft C-17.

The aircraft had taken off from Skardu after delivering flood relief items and was scheduled to land at the Islamabad airport at 03:50 pm. During the flight, a bird hit one of its engines and the aircraft began to lose altitude.

The pilot decided to make an landing at the Islamabad airport after two of its four engines developed fault. The engines flamed out after a safe landing.  Rescue and fire brigade vehicles reached the spot before the landing, after which all on board passengers and crew members were evacuated safely. It took authorities more than an hour to clear the aircraft which was removed from the runway with the help of a hanger.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 18^th, 2010.