Pilots and air traffic controllers criticised for near-accident

Airline Industry Information, Nov 17, 2000

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2000 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

SAS pilots and air traffic controllers at Tromso's Langnes airport, Norway have been criticised over the near-accident at the airport in May this year.

On 11 May, an SAS aircraft carrying 124 passengers failed to stop as the runway was slippery due to dense snowfall. The aircraft received moderate damage when it slipped 70 metres off the runway. Both parties had failed to seek information about the state of the runway, according to the accident investigation commission.

SAS was also criticised for providing little information about the situation to the passengers. The electricity in the aircraft did not work after the incident and attempts by crew to inform the passengers with megaphones failed as the equipment did not work.

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