RAYONG-PATTAYA, Thailand – A flydubai commercial aircraft made an emergency landing at U-Tapao-Rayong-Pattaya International Airport late on June 14, following a malfunction with its landing gear. The dramatic incident unfolded around 11:00 p.m. prompting swift action from airport authorities.
The control tower at U-Tapao Airport received an urgent call from the captain of the Airbus A319-115(cj), reporting that the landing gear was not deploying properly, necessitating an emergency landing. The aircraft, traveling from Dubai, carried a total of nine people: one captain, one co-pilot, and seven crew members. The plane had intended to land at U-Tapao Airport but encountered the technical issue, leading to an emergency protocol being initiated.
In response to the captain’s alert, ground staff quickly coordinated with emergency services, mobilizing over 40 vehicles, including fire trucks and rescue units from the Rayong and Pattaya rescue units who were positioned on standby at the airport, prepared to respond to any potential emergency situations.
By midnight, the Airbus A319 began its descent. Fortunately, during the approach, the landing gear successfully deployed, allowing the captain to safely land the aircraft. Once on the ground, officials conducted a thorough inspection of the landing gear system at a specially prepared parking bay.
The aircraft, which had flown directly from Dubai, was not carrying any passengers at the time of the incident. Despite the initial scare, the situation was handled efficiently, ensuring a safe landing and prompt inspection of the aircraft’s systems. After all systems were checked and confirmed to be functioning correctly, the plane took off at 1:45 a.m. for its original destination in the Philippines.
