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A photo of what LIAT describes as “a main wheel failure” on one of is aircraft on Monday.
A photo of what LIAT describes as “a main wheel failure” on one of is aircraft on Monday.
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On Monday, LIAT issued a bare bone release saying that one of its aircraft had landed safely in Barbados yesterday after “a main wheel failure during takeoff” in Guyana.

The airline had 43 passengers on board and will undergo the various checks stipulated by the manufacturer before it is returned to service, LIAT said.

The airline did not give any indication of type of aircraft or the nature of “a main wheel failure”.

Since then, we have been able to independently verify the following:

  • The aircraft was a Dash 8 and not one of the two new ATR’s that the airline has recently acquired.
  • One of the wheels of the aircraft was totally dislodged (see photo).
  • One of the persons in the cockpit at the time was a Vincentian — Cpt Rommel De Freitas.

Below is the full text of LIAT’s statement:

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Information on LI 774 – August 26 2013

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – The management of LIAT (1974) Limited wishes to inform that LI 774 travelling from Guyana to Barbados this morning, with 43 passengers on board, had a main wheel failure during takeoff.

The aircraft continued to the Grantley Adams International Airport where, as a precautionary measure, emergency services were on standby. The landing was uneventful and the passengers disembarked at the gate in Barbados.

The aircraft is being examined by the company’s maintenance department and will undergo the various checks stipulated by the manufacturer before it is returned to service.

3 replies on “PHOTO: ‘Main wheel failure’ on LIAT aircraft on Monday”

  1. I wish this was the only difficulty that LIAT had to face. I have no worries about the skill of its pilots and maintenance staff in this regard.

  2. Jeany Yearwood says:

    However small or catastrophic are these incidents; two in two days does not fill flying customers with confidence. There is a great deal of talk around the world about the state of LIAT aircraft fleet of planes…. You need to do something to regain confidence in LIAT.

  3. Eric Williams says:

    It the CAA is as vigilant as the FAA when it comes to safety, the person who did the actual work of installing the tire, and the inspector who signed it off would be receiving a visit. He or she could actually lose his license or receive a citation.

    We may never know what disciplinary or punitive action results, if any is ever taken.

Comments closed.