TezJet grounded after Boeing MD-83 landing gear collapse at Bishkek Manas Airport
Accident at Bishkek Manas airport occurred just a month after Kyrgyzstan was removed from European blacklist. Kyrgyz authorities have temporarily suspended the operations of carrier TezJet after one of its Boeing MD-83s has suffered a landing-gear collapse while taxiing for the runway at Bishkek's Manas airport. The airport operator states that the accident occurred as the twinjet prepared to depart for Osh on 7 July. "After taxiing and reaching take-off position during pre-flight procedures, the left main landing-gear collapsed," says the company. "As a result, the aircraft listed to the left, touched the runway with its left wing, and came to a stop." None of those on board was injured, the airport operator adds. Images from the scene identify the MD-83 involved as EX-80003, a 1996 airframe originally delivered to Korean Air. The tail-cone of the aircraft, which serves as an evacuation exit, appears to have been jettisoned during the occurrence. Work is under way to remove the jet from the runway. Manas has a single runway, designated 08/26. Kyrgyzstan had been subject to a European Commission blanket blacklisting for some 20 years, a restriction which was only removed in early June based on evidence of substantial safety improvement. The Kyrgyz state civil aviation agency is investigating the occurrence. "Until the necessary verification activities are completed, a decision has been made to temporarily suspend the operation of TezJet aircraft," says the airport operator. "This is a purely preventative measure aimed at ensuring the highest level of flight safety." The aircraft had arrived from Osh earlier in the day. Manas airport will remain closed until around 06:00 on 8 July. "Flight safety remains our highest priority," says the airport operator, adding that schedule disruption is possible.