A cargo plane hit an airport antenna during takeoff, forcing a nervy emergency landing.
The pilot reportedly overran the runway while preparing for takeoff.
As a result, the plane ended up smashing into the airport’s Instrument Landing System (ILS) at the end of the tarmac.
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The precision navigation system aids pilots in preparing to land at night or in bad weather.
The Boeing 727-200 plane, operated by the cargo airline Aerosucre, sustained damage to the landing gear and left wing.
The aircraft, with the registration HK-5216, hit the ILS on Runway 14L at El Dorado International Airport in the Colombian capital Bogotá.
The plane was departing for Valencia in northern Venezuela at around 4.21pm on 10 November.
Despite the impact, the pilot managed to gain altitude and remain in flight for over an hour.
The pilot circled the areas of Tocancipá, Zipaquirá and Sesquilé to burn fuel and reduce weight so the cargo plane could return to El Dorado.
The aircraft landed safely at around 5.42pm.
No additional damage or injuries were reported among the crew.
The Colombian Civil Aviation Authority referred to the incident as “serious” and immediately launched an investigation.
A spokesperson said: “The plane completed its takeoff, consumed fuel in the air, and landed without further incident on the south runway of the same airport at 5.42 pm.
“The Technical Directorate of Accident Investigation is looking into all the factors associated with this serious incident, including the airline’s planning, with the aim of identifying the causes and formulating recommendations that will help prevent future incidents.”
A technical team also assessed the damage to the ILS and its impact on airport operations, as reported by Need To Know.
To make matters worse, the Civil Aeronautics Department announced that harsh weather conditions had caused delays to multiple flights across the country at 5.37pm.
Airlines such as Avianca, Turkish Airlines, and Iberia were forced to cancel multiple flights due to weather conditions and the damaged ILS.
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