There was no injury or damage as a result of an Amerijet aircraft running off the runway at the Melville Hall airport on Tuesday.
This, according to to CEO of the Dominica Air & Sea Port Authority (DASPA), Benoit Bardouille.
“At about 2:38 pm on December 4, 2012, we had an Amerijet aircraft which came in from Antigua and landed on 09. On reaching the Eastern end of the runway which is 27, the aircraft was unable to complete the 180 turn to taxi to the raft,” Bardouille said.
He explained to the media that the front wheel got off the pavement and got stuck in the grass on the north east end adjacent to the runway. “The aircraft attempted to reverse but the front wheel was stuck in the dirt for a while. We then proceeded to have the cargo off loaded and some material was place at the back of the front wheel of the aircraft and we were then able to successfully get the aircraft to reverse onto the pavement then to the ramp at about 4:20pm,” he stated.
Bardouille said this resulted in “the airport being closed for about two hours and one flight had to be diverted to Antigua.”
“The aircraft at present is safely parked; there is no reported damage on the aircraft or injuries to persons or cargo,” he remarked.
Amerijet is a shipping company based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Has anyone been to st Lucia before the pandemic? Compare and contrast. St lucia have 2 airports , we have 2 airports. What is the flight frequency rate (incoming and outgoing) at the airports in st Lucia, vs that of Dominica’s?
Hmmmm
well well,after reading the comments,i decided too add a few cents to the issue at hand,
first,ICAO allready issue a new regulation that all runway must increast the RESA to 150 meters wide,hmmm Melvin hall,is not up to standerd,sorry butits true!,i work for civil aviation dept,and i landed more than once at melvinhall,and i notice many falts,believe me,if the ICAO inspectores come down from New York,your airport will be down grade like st.maarten and curacao,
plus yes at the runway end they must,or rather have a turning bay,with the RESA, so if a aircraft do ran over,it can continue saftly until full stop,
plus ICAO,also issue all NDB must be disband ,right now GPS are in use,although it will cost you Gov plenty money,
and how certified Melvinhall airport for night landing?Antiqua? its impossible,cause you cannot proceed with a miss approach landing from runway 27 if needed,you will end up in the mountain,your obstical limitation are too great!
so all in all,Melvin hall is not quite ready,its best the management hire a inspector to do a audit,make a report andgive the advicce to you airport authority,my best advice,
OOoo, and the employes too needs training,especially the ground crew and secuirity personeel,I do audits, I did notice this, in one day,
bye
thats an embarassement, plane stock in mud in this age? dominica come on. u just spend mucho on the airport. I hate liat. just saying while i am on the airport issue. they r so unprofessional. Pull up ur sox d/a.
how is this in any way Dominica’s fault that they need to pull up their socks? Slight misjudgment on the pilots’ part there is no shame in that. Stop being so narrow minded.
lucky no injury
one plane get stuck and you close the airport for two hours?
You cannot land or take off if there is a plane stuck at the other end of the runway. the plane needed to be cleared. Obviously this is not a quick fix
u don’t knw is one airport we hav. the north end is where they turn to take off also where planes land from the mountain side
all u to fast to cry down the country how many times has virgin Atlantic ran of the run way in antigua and i am not talking about just the front wheels pls people stop it pls show some love for once
small minded fools.
whats the size of Virgin Atlantic compare to Amerijet? come on after spending soo many millions on that none sense at melville hall
Anonymous, the best person to correct or chastise you are the ones who LOVES you, you don’t want your haters to correct or chastise because you will be in SHHHHHHHHHHTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT.
Hi, good morning. Well base on what I see it appear that the Pilot attempted to turn around but he must have chosen a section of the runway that is to narrow. Also based on the size of this plane which landed then I can say that we do not need an International Airport. This jet can safely accommodate one hundred and thirty passengers therefore it size would satisfy Dominica needs. I was in Dominica for Carnival and Creole Fest of 2012 . I came through Puerto Rico on American Eagle and the seats weren’t sold out therefore an International Airport would not change anything far as passengers getting to DA. We can extend the runway into the water just like they did in St Thomas after an American Airline jet crashed trying to abort a landing or we can widen the area for the planes to turn around.
u are so ignorant.just shut up.
Hello we all have our opinion and if I disagree with an opinion I can say so and be respectful. Now all I am saying is if such cargo jet can land at the airport then we can used this same size jet to transport passengers to Dominica. An international Airport is not going to change the number of passengers coming to Dominica. We need to widen the end of the runway so such jets can make a three hundred and sixty degree turn. You are a British born Dominican and I turely respect that but can you tell me how many times a year you visit Dominica.
– this is a cargo plane, authorised to carry freight only.
– despite its size Amerijet have been operating this type of plane very safely in and out of Melville Hall even before the improvement work (including the lengtening of the runway!) was undertaken.
Hi , so can we authorize jets of this size to transport passengers to Dominica. Caribbean Airlines have the same size jets.
This had nothing to do with the airplane overruning the runway! The plane landed fine on the strip. The problem is, since the airport does not have a separate taxiway, the airline had to make a sharp 180degree turn. Assuming it was in the middle of the runway when it started to turn around to proceed to the terminal, there wasn’t enough room to complete that turn and the front landing gear edged off the runway into the dirt. That’s all. Nothing about runway being too short. It’s like you in a car deciding to turn around in the middle of a narrow road and end up in the ditch!
Problem is that they should have a separate taxiway so that airplanes get get off the runway quickly. Had that been there the airport would not have been closed. This would not have happened in the first place. The taxiway should parallel the runway all the way to the end of the runway.
But that’s where the international airport comes in. They need to build it anyway. It can be financed through international donors/coalitions. At the current growth rate, Dominica will never have the money in it’s budget for an int’l airport. But money follows vision! I think after the 1st or 2nd term in office governments seem to lose their vision. And where there is no vision, the people… perish. It happened to the Freedom Party, and now the Labor party. Don’t get me wrong, Skerrit is trying hard and has done alot, but they need a fresh dose of visioneering!
Soooo many poeple comment on wanting an International airport. Let me tell you, you are just thinking through your . In 7 years and around 30 flights into DA, I have only seen the American Eagle “almost” fully loaded two times. All the other times, there have been between 6 to maybe 15 passengers aboard. The times they are “almost” filled is because of Ross University semester breaks! WTF do you think an “International” airline would charge passengers if they flying a 747 into DA with around 12 passengers aboard? They also have to pay the airport for that flight. Let’s see…I don’t work for the airlines, but if I think of the fuel a 747 uses, diveded by 12, I think the passage would cost around $5k-7k US. Don’t quote me on this, but do you get the point??? We don’t have the tourist rate that the other Islands have an be glad we don’t because you wouldn’t love your Dominica as much anymore. You thinking whitout brain. We JUST need a dependable airline to take the place of American Eagle. Why do you think they pulled out of the caribbean and filed for bunkruptcy???…..the fares don’t pay for the fuel and airport fees…..DUH!!!!!!
I don’t get the point ???, if you have a she goat and a he goat would you invest in a pen for only 2 goats? don’t you think ahead? you ED.
We are worried about Amerijet being stuck in the mud, and what caused it, I believe the question is what is going to happen to our airline industry when American Eagle closes down its operations in March end 2013, what is going to happen to our airline industry and American Eagle employees. I wish sherrit would comment on that.
This is the second time Amerijet has stuck at the airport. The first time i as a worker got injured
Mr. Bardouille gone are the days when Dominica was considered to be small, and everything small we should experience including aircrafts. The runway was extended, thanks to that, but don’t you think it’s high time that at if not both but one end of the runway should be constructed in such a way that the LARGER PLANES are accomodated with an overlap to allow them to turn much more easily. i’m not sure what you call it but I am sure anyone sensible thinking person will understand what I mean.
Amerijet was landing safely in Dominica even before the runway was extended.
Amen! You are quite correct Tom. I would rather look at Amerijet, whose fleet of 727-200 freighter aircraft are well beyond 30 years old on average and should be retired. I remember some three years ago their pilots even went on strike because the company refused to install toilets in their planes and the pilots had to do their “necessities” in zip bags.
That’s right. They’ve been landing there a long time.
As if I heard somewhere that it was a specialist Amerijet crew that used to land that aircraft at Melville Hall especially before the runway was extended.
Could somebody shed some light on this?
Hi, I agree with you.
Hi you call that a turning bay,it should have been wider,YES your right,and your not a inspector,and you can see that,smart!,plus the runway needs a clear way,or a blast area,for run off aircraft,St.Maarten has it,both ends,of the runway,
All i can say this small mistakes happens all over the world so STop bashing my lovely DOMINICA glad to hear everyone safe.thanks to the jah.
nicely said
THX GOD THAT’S THE WAY IT HAPPENED AT LEAST IT WASS ON LAND…COULD HAVE BEEN WORST AND THX GOD NO ONE GOT INJURED AT THAT PROCESS…….
That happened when the plane was turning. Where else could it have happened; in the air? Some of you people are so incredibly daft, it is not funny.
We would like to have an airport that can accommodate larger body aircrafts, but at the same time we need to realize this could also be a pilot error. if the pilot was coming in too fast he would over shot the runway. This happens even on the longest strips of runways. The pilot coming in too fast or touching down too late. We are always fast to judgement!!!
Wow what a genius idea! You are the first one to think of that. I have never heard that suggestion before. Ever! Get a jet strip! Perfect! Thank god you were born so you could first, think of this and then, second, suggest it!
So, we await for you to find the $500 million for this project as you clearly think it is so easy to do. MAMO couldnt and UWP tried but had to strip dominica of all her assets inlcuding DOMLEC shares and beg borrow scrape and even then only managed how much? a quarter of the requirement? Im sure the uwp supporters can provide the exact amount.
Anyway, I’m sure Skerrit will fling his doors wide open for you so hurry up!
Again, praises to god/allah/buddha/confusius/etc that you were born.
My post should read – “JOLLY, wow what a genius idea! etc etc etc.”
Although my comment applies to all the jet strip wannabeessneverseecomesees.
keep on with yur sacasm an you will see where dominica will go… foolish guy!
Yes because it is sarcasm that has Dominica going nowhere
stupz, airports should not be surrounded by swamped soft grass on either side of the runway. Airports should be bounded by grassy areas that can support the weight of planes which may run off the paved runway, due to weather, pilot era,technical issues, whatever!This is another example of an under-developed facility on island! Imagine what will happen if a plane runs off the runway during a landing.
And that sarcasm about UWP sold DOMLEC to get the money for airport is hogwash and you know it. DOMLEC was resold at less than it was purchased from Government and the DLP admin did not buy it. it was re-sold AGAIN a few weeks ago and AGAIN this admin had NO INTEREST. seeing that Government should be running DOMLEC why is there no interest in getting it back?
have a sarcastic orgasm with that.
That’s all the reason now to get an International Airport. Why don’t they get it through their thick skull?
Probably they are waiting for you to finance it! 8-O.
Cost of New Airport = 250M.
Approx # of D/can fully employed = 25,000
Cost of Airport to each of them $10,000
or EC $27,000 each!
I like this guy.he’s smart.
but wait a minute, i not understanding. the government spent so much money on that airport and stripe.
look a waste!! first time i c dat.
just, nonsense
you are right first time u c that
such a STUPID, FOOLISH Comment!!
First time you hear of a plane missing, going off the run way?
well, welcome to 2012 where anything can happen.
you all are actign liek this is the first time such a plane has landed there. It’s not! therefore, planes of this size CAN LAND SAFELY.
stupes
All I see in the photo is extremely beautiful scenery, a plane which has landed at Melville Hall hundreds of times safely and a pilot who ran off the runway for whatever reason. No need to cry down your country for every single thing people.
nice
nothing is wrong with the beautiful scenery, but we must cry down those empty heads who spend our money foolishly not the country.
i really dont see wat all that song and dance about international airport is about? juss becuz the plane got stuck everyone is back to the same song! amerijet has been comin to dominica when the airport was worse dan dat! and its always been that plane…so maybe the pilot misjudged or something….must have happened! all of a sudden d runway too short or d same plane? afos allu dominicans like tah la la…stuuups! i hve 16 packages on board dat plane…am glad it here anyways!
boom, are you one of those saying we do not need an international airport?
things do happen sometimes,so lets stop thinking negative and think positive for once.u got your car and sometimes u find yourselfs in the drain,do u really wants to go in the drain?i guess no.so it was just a little misstake with the airline just went to close in the mud.
Isn’t this the same aircraft that burst all the glass windows of the airport days after being placed because they mis judged the runway and had to pick up so much speed to get back into the air? Seems like we need to review how safe it is for large aircrafts to land on that runway
Really….. Please get your info correct. The jet wash would not destroy the windows if it is taking off. The incident you refer to was with the aircraft heading towards the runway for departure and too much was used. This is not a,supersonic jet to break windows when taking off. a smaller jet could do the same damage.
Planes get stuck a lot. One was stuck in Antigua a couple years ago. But what happened? Dno I’ve been waiting for a clearer explanation on the situation. People want to establish whether the plane was faulty, if it was a pilot error, or was the runway simply too short?
Thanks for the update dno. Hope we make any adjustments necessary for the planes to manoeuvre properly. Alas we need an international airport. Millville hall better than nothing anyway but we really need something better. Fingers crossed that we sort out the crime, health and safety issues and attract more tourists for us to be able to afford something better.
did we recently spend $40, 000 000.00 or was it $45, 000.000.00 on that airport?
even if i not on the island, but shouldn’t that money be gathered to add to a pool for a jet strip or international run way as little nevis?
i don’t think it is too late to build the international airport…….i am willing to give them some of clico and british american money.
thinking labor!
It is a shame and we want tourist Good luck
The more you are poor, the more reverse gear you get. Dominica needs prayer. Nothing is going right. “WHERE THERE IS NO VISION, THE PEOPLE PERISH. Dominica, no matter what party you belong, we are all in this together. Please let’s work together. ‘UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL.” We seem to b getting more at the bottom of the barrel. I come to Dominica, twice a year, and it is frustrating what we hve to go through to get home. I tried booking a flight to come home for Christmas, they told me is about $2,000.00 from JFK. Where do they think I am going, to MARS? Every country is squeesing everything from us, because we have no competition. If planes cannot deliver goods to the country, Where do you think we are heading, with less than 80,000 people. Please the PM, you in power. HELP, HELP, HELP.
it a shame we spent MILLIONS of US DOLLARS on the airport and a plain can’t turn on it and adding insult to injury the airport had to shut down for two and a half hours because there is no space for another aircraft to land or take off, SHAME ON US DOMINICANS ONLY TOILET PAPER ACCEPTS THE THINGS WE ACCEPTS, AND I’V NEVER SEEN BLACK TOILET PAPER YET.
lovely comment.
They shouldn’t be flying that plane to DOminica, whoever is paying money for that plane to come dominica is a fool. The airport is too small people!!
just like your damn brain if you have one
That plane has been coming here for decades and as far I know it’s the first time they have had such an accident and ironically the accident happened on the longer air strip
huuh,
correction its not a strip! its a runway!,strip means as grass landing area,or a small congret landing area,plus Melvinhall is a instrument runway,with PAPI, and VASIS,just a correction,oooh you can find Melvinhall airport in the ICAO,all info concerning the airport,but not a strip!
I TIRED HEAR PEOPLE SAY BUILD THE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AND/OR WIDEN AND LENGTHEN THE AIR STRIP!!…
AS matter of fact that getting toooooo old, because If the government hearing all you, they would have made some step into it, or was it because they did try to go into some movements and some people didn’t want to sell the land to be used? WHICH EVER WAY… WESTAY EVEH VIEUX AIRPORT ZOR, GOUVELMAH PAKA TAN MOUNE KAY TAPAY TWAVAIS SI YO FEH, LEH YO FINI PARLE’ KONT TOURIST PAKA VINI DOMINIQUE! … Lot Moune lah ki mention kont international airport, allay manje’ kokoy eveh yampeh cho. STUPES! – si zor paka kopan ah anglais pitette se’ ah patois zor ke’ kopan den!!! SMH
Hi, I only understand the English portion of your post. Now if the Government want private own land to build an Airport or Road then they should be able to take the land under eminent domain. They then must compensate the owner of the land buy paying them a reasonable price for their land.
that happen about 2 years back i think it broke the airports windows when the pilot powered up as well
Too much money wasted on the Melville Hall airport site. Airport should have been built near Portmouth to begin with. Then there would be less problems and mountains.
You think so? We also have the WIND to contend with too you know.
International Airport.
good.
Chinese will build it for you after Skerrit wastes all the countries money on his palace
the pilot made an error, same error could have happened in JFK or DFW or Piarco…jeez next thing somebody will say is Skerrit fault
praise the lord
What caused the plane to be stuck on the runway DNO? Did a tire burst? Did a wild cow get unto the runway and stubbornly decide not to move in order for the aircraft to take off?
Er.. Don’t u guys read! It clearlys says it ran off the runway. Clearly it got stuck in the soil after!! Duhh…
And the answer is……..It was “Channel 1” that was running wildly around the perimeter fence that distracted the aircraft’s pilots causing the front tire to get stuck in the grass. When he finally got on the runway, he stubbornly decided not to move.
@123 – …..but……but…..123, tell the story in its entirety nah. You forgot to tell the people that it was you I was chasing…………..
Doh quote me, but I hear is a fleet of agouti that was getting ready to take off. This caused the ‘merijet’ pilot to panic, and he got stuck in the grass.
Was it not that very aircraft that had some issues in Antigua about two weeks ago and caused a weeks delay for E-zone customers. And Antigua have airport and runway for so.
To small doh doh
so that means they should look into getting a much better airstrip with the correct length..
that’s why the authorities wont permit passengers on board larger bodied aircraft into Melville Hall..
Risk is Greater…Cargo is deadload only crew are souls…
But again Dominica is not known for higher thinking they settle for less..
they spend millions on Melville Hall knowing it’s not a viable option..
But again it’s Dominica so nothing to shout about..they are at the lower end of the stick..
@Jolly, what authorities you talking about that won’t permit passengers on larger bodied aircraft into Melville Hall? It sure cannot be Dominican authorities because during the 2010 general election they accepted two larger bodied planes into Melville Hall, carrying Dominicans living abroad and knew better. Sounds crazy eh? However it is true and in Dominica we accept anything even if we putting lives at risk.
Uneducated civillians. There are several factors that deal with aircrafts and overrunning runways.
Was there debris on the runway?
Was there an onflight emergency/failure?
Was the aircraft overweight?
Dominica can’t grow as fast as these other islands because we don’t have the money. We’re trying to get somewhere, so please stop halting the progress.
They need a separate taxi ramp… shouldn’t have to do a 360 degree turn to taxi back down the runway. Build that international airport!!!!!!
they need a man with commonsense to run that country
Are you willing to pay EC$5.00 for a pound of white sugar and EC$3.00 a box of matches? The money has to come from somewhere.
Let’s put begging to good use!
Begging is what Dominicans are best at!
@ APG,hmmm your make a good ammbasadore,lol,and your right,ask and you shall recieve,if Turkey can ask NATO for exspensive battery of Patriot missles,why should you not begg too?YOUr damed right
Sorry, it was 180 degree!!!!
That’s not good for business. Such a report will reach very far, it will certainly allow airline companies to review the length of the runway and certainly make recommendations to the Dominica authority
You do realize of course, that this kind of things happen at international airports too, right?
We are so ignorant. Guess we never heard of planes overshooting the runway at international airports all over the world. Just to remind you, very close to home, Guyana and Jamaica within the last year or so. Won’t even mention the US and other countries.
What are you all talking about? In all international countries, ( airports) planes run off runways. You all just love to run down your country. God Bless Dominica’
did i hear someone say international Airport?
yes u did u death or wat
DEAF!!!
DEAF!!
first time that plane landing here? stuoeeeeesss
by the looks of the plane it stock in the air
American airline need some 4 wheel drive planes for Dominica lol
Did someone say American Airlines No it isnt its Amerijet
Way papa! Thank God is on land it is stuck.
so if it wuz at ur home u wud say dat
true, because if is in the air it got stuck…that would not have been good at all at all.hahaha
lolol…. thanks, I needed that!
where else could it get stuck .plant never get stuck in the air.(they fall 0