A Biman flight lost a wheel mid-flight. Calm piloting and ground coordination averts a disaster

The clock was approaching 1:30pm. A Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight to Dhaka had just taken off the runway in Cox’s Bazar when a serious incident occurred -- a wheel next to the aircraft's landing gear came off mid-air.

The aircraft, a Canadian-made De Havilland Dash 8-Q400, was carrying 71 passengers and two crew members at the time.

Friday's flight was being piloted by Captain Jamil Billah, who has nearly 8,000 hours of flying experience, assisted by First Officer Zayed.

Understanding the gravity of the situation, the pilot immediately informed the air traffic control tower at Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.

Speaking to bdnews24.com, the airport’s Executive Director Group Captain Kamrul Islam said: “After being alerted, we declared an emergency for the flight. Fire Service vehicles and full emergency protocol were deployed on the runway. The flight successfully landed at 2:20pm without further incident.”

Asked for his expert view, aviation specialist ATM Nazrul Islam said: “The Dash 8-Q400’s landing gear has two wheels on each side. The wheel that fell off was one of the external side wheels. Even with a missing wheel, landing is possible with proper caution and skill. This is part of pilot training, and in this case, the pilot handled it with care.

“There’s always a pre-flight inspection before every flight. It’s possible the wheel was recently changed, and the torquing or tightening may not have been done properly, or the safety wiring might not have been secured. It could also be a case of material failure. That said, I do believe there may have been some degree of human negligence. An investigation is warranted.”

According to ABM Raoshan Kabir, general manager of Biman’s Public Relations Department, the airline has formed a probe committee led by Captain Enam Talukder, chief of flight safety, to investigate the incident.