Emergency landing at airport

Full emergency procedures were set in motion at Malta International Airport yesterday as a cargo aircraft prepared to land with one of its two engines turned off.

The two crew members on board the propeller plane realised there was something wrong with the Fokker 27 around 20 minutes after take-off from Ciampino airport, Rome, and alerted the Maltese authorities, an MIA spokesman told The Times.

Since it was already in Maltese airspace, the aircraft decided to proceed on its 75-minute flight to Malta on one engine. Sources said that only around a quarter of the Fokker was loaded with cargo, which facilitated the trip. Such aeroplanes are designed to safely fly on a single engine if necessary.

Everything proceeded to plan. As fire engines went on full alert, the 20,400-kilogramme aircraft, registered with Italian company Miniliner Srl, had no problems when it landed just after noon. The pilots did not require any treatment.

The airport spokesman confirmed this was the first time that such an aircraft was involved in a full emergency landing, contrary to some media reports.

The cause of the problem was being investigated by two foreign engineers last night. Miniliner Srl did not wish to comment.

The last time emergency procedures were set in motion was last summer when a private aircraft reported hydraulic trouble.

Emergency procedures were last undertaken for a commercial liner in October 2004, when an Air Malta Boeing 737 made an emergency landing after a tyre in its right undercarriage burst, possibly on take-off.