Flight carrying Himachal Deputy CM overshoots Shimla runway, pilot's quick response averts tragedy

Alliance Air (Representative Image)

An Alliance Air flight carrying 44 passengers, including Himachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri and state's Director General of Police (DGP) Atul Verma overshot the runway during landing in Shimla on Monday. However, pilot's quick response averted  a major tragedy.

The flight had taken off from Delhi after routine checks and engineers are inspecting the aircraft to determine if there was a technical glitch, airport authorities said. "The runway is small and we cannot deny this fact. As a layman, I can say that while landing, the plane did not touch the ground where it was supposed to and came to the end of the airstrip," Agnihotri said.

Following the incident, Himachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Agnihotri said the plane failed to land at the usual spot and instead overshot the runway. "We reached Shimla via flight this morning. There was some issue with its landing. I don't know the technicalities, but as a layman, I can say the plane didn't touch down where it should have. It couldn't stop and reached the very edge of the runway," he shared. He added that the aircraft turned sharply at the end and came to a halt only after strong brakes were applied. "We had to stay inside the plane for another 20–25 minutes after that," he said, reflecting on the close call that left passengers shaken.