Here’s something we (fortunately) don’t see every day…
TAAG Angola Airlines Dash 8 shuts down engine due to runway visitor
This incident involves a TAAG Angola Airlines Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 that was scheduled to operate the short 196-mile domestic flight in Angola from Soyo (SZA) to Luanda (LAD). Earlier this week, the plane was operating flight DT131, and lined up on the runway getting ready to depart. However, at the same time, the pilots spotted a person running down the runway toward the aircraft.
The person kept running toward the aircraft, until he got really close to the propellors. At this point the pilots made the (smart) decision to shut down the left engine, to avoid potential catastrophe. That was well timed, because the person was within feet of the engines.
Once the aircraft’s engine was shut down, the person continued to stand there. Eventually the intruder decided to make a run for it, realizing that there was a security guard chasing after him.
Minutes after this incident, the crew restarted the engine, and the aircraft operated the flight to Luanda without further incident.
It’s not clear what this person’s motive was
It’s anyone’s guess what this person was trying to accomplish, if anything. Was he trying to hitch a ride, and thought that flagging down the plane on the runway was the best way to do so. Or…?
Many airports deal with unwelcome visitors, though usually it comes in the form of animals that manage to get onto airport property. Unfortunately some airports don’t have great perimeter fences, leading to these kinds of situations.
This reminds of an incident that happened in Nigeria a few years back, whereby a person climbed onto the wing of an Azman Air Boeing 737 while it was preparing to depart the airport.
Honestly, it’s less creepy than the scene in “The Twilight Zone” where there’s a person on the wing…
Bottom line
A TAAG Angola Dash 8 Q400 had to delay its takeoff because a person came running down the runway. The man got very close to the propellor, so the pilots shut it down at the very last moment. The man eventually made a run for it, before being removed from the airport by security. Goodness, what an incident.
What do you make of this situation?
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