Fly Jamaica captain credited for landing plane safely

Aviation officials have given Fly Jamaica the green light to remove the Boeing 757 which was forced to make an emergency landing at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) minutes after takeoff on Friday. And the pilot, Captain Basil Ferguson, is being credited with averting a major disaster after stopping the plane inches from a steep drop at the end of the runway. Kaieteur News understands that Ferguson has many years of flying experience and was previously employed with Air Jamaica. Several passengers who spoke with Kaieteur News following the incident said that Ferguson should be praised for his effort to save the lives of the 128 persons onboard the aircraft. According to health officials, about ten persons sustained minor injuries while deplaning from the crashed craft. The Fly Jamaica flight departed CJIA at 2.10 a.m. for Toronto, Canada. About 15 minutes into the flight, passengers recalled that the pilot reported that the aircraft was experiencing problems with its hydraulic system and needed to return to CJIA. According to flight maps, the airplane circled before attempting to land. Passengers recounted that upon touchdown, the aircraft sped past the airport’s terminal, past the end of the existing runway and onto the newly extended portion of the runway, which is not officially open. It is being said that the pilot experienced brake failure when he touched down. The aircraft careened into the chain linked fence before coming to rest in the trap at the end of the runway with the front of the plane perched above a ravine – the same area where a Boeing 737 operated by Caribbean Airlines overran and split in two on July 30, 2011. The right wing of the aircraft was broken along with the engine. Director General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Lt. Col. (Ret’d) Egbert Field told Kaieteur News on Saturday that the investigation is well on its way and Fly Jamaica has been cleared to remove the aircraft. He said, further, that he has started to engage with officials of the South American arm of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the National Transportation Safety Board, the U.S. Government’s agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation. According to Field, investigators from the Authority are providing support to the government-appointed crash investigator, Paula McAdam. It is believed that the pilot encountered issues with the brake system upon touchdown. Operations at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport have returned to normal following Friday morning’s incident, which saw a Fly Jamaica aircraft crash upon landing. Field, in an invited comment, confirmed that normal operations have resumed, even as examinations of the crash scene continue. (Kaieteur News)