A "major accident" was averted on Tuesday morning at Goa airport when an alert runway controller noticed that a SpiceJet flight, on the final approach, had not deployed its nose landing gear and it was forced to abort the landing, said the Indian Navy spokesperson.
"Alert Indian Navy Air Traffic Services at Goa Airport averted major accident today when the Runway Controller Ramesh Tigga, Leading Airman (Air Handler) noticed that the nose landing gear of the Spicejet Flight SG 3568, which was on its final approach, was not deployed.
"The Runway Controller immediately alerted the ATC tower where the Duty Air Traffic Controller, Lt Cdr Harmeet Kaur informed the incoming aircraft to abort the landing," said the Indian Navy spokesperson on Twitter.
In a press statement issued in Panaji, the Navy said that Lt Cdr Kaur asked the aircraft to abort the landing and make a second attempt after a 'go-around', but even the second attempt too proved unsuccessful and the front landing gear was partially deployed only on the third attempt.
"The flight landed safely at 0805 hrs under assistance of emergency and safety services. The alert action of Indian Navy Air Traffic and Safety Services prevented the SpiceJet flight and all its passengers from a major accident," the Navy spokesperson added.
Goa airport is part of the INS Hansa Naval airbase located at Vasco, 35 kilometres from Panaji.