Paro Airport Prepares for Emergency Response
Moments before landing, the aircraft encountered a microburst – an intense downdraft of air causing severe turbulence – resulting in a rough touchdown that burst a tyre on the main landing gear.
(Source: Kuensel)
On June 12, a Himalayan Airbus Havoc A320, carrying 160 passengers and four crew members, was scheduled to land on runway 33 at Paro International Airport after departing from Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, Thailand. Moments before landing, the aircraft encountered a microburst – an intense downdraft of air causing severe turbulence – resulting in a rough touchdown that burst a tyre on the main landing gear.
This incident caused the aircraft to veer sharply to the left, skidding off the runway onto the adjacent grass. The rough landing partially dislodged the main undercarriage, severing hydraulic lines. The leaking hydraulic fluid ignited upon contact with the overheated undercarriage components, quickly causing a fire on the aircraft’s left side, endangering both the wing and fuselage.
In response, the cabin crew from Drukair promptly initiated an emergency evacuation, directing passengers to exit via the escape slides on the right side of the aircraft. Passengers and crew gathered safely on the grassy area next to the runway, though several passengers sustained injuries due to the landing impact.
This scenario was part of a tabletop drill at Paro International Airport to ensure the operational effectiveness of the procedures outlined in the Aerodrome Emergency Plan (AEP). Approximately 70 officials from various agencies, including the Bhutan Civil Aviation Authority (BCAA), airlines, police, Paro dzongkhag administration, hospitals, and desuups, participated in this full-scale emergency mock drill after a detailed tabletop discussion.
The biennial full-scale emergency exercise, named "Himalayan Havoc," aims to prepare all stakeholders for real-life emergency situations. Karma Wangchuk, the director general of the air transport department, emphasized the importance of being prepared for unforeseen challenges, stating, “Given that machinery hazards are unpredictable, the exercise aims to mitigate potential risks.”
To ensure a coordinated and effective response, trained personnel have specific roles assigned to manage emergencies, with not all airport staff participating in the evacuation process to prevent hindrances. Wangchuk identified strong winds and runway excursions as the primary risk factors at Paro International Airport and mentioned plans for a separate exercise for mid-air emergencies.
The emergency exercise was designed to challenge the AEP and identify areas for improvement, rather than testing the capabilities of participating units. The recommendations, lessons, and observations from the exercise will be included in the final AEP manual.
Photo credit: Kuensel
The exercise aims to assess the AEP’s command, control, and coordination at operational and incident control levels, providing a platform for complex emergency operations in resource-constrained, time-sensitive scenarios with multiple priorities. It also allows each agency to engage in a multi-agency response to a simulated scenario, contribute to incident control, prioritize resources accurately, and demonstrate the optimal use of all available assets, regardless of agency, ownership, or mission.
Australian trainer Peter McMahon, PhD, highlighted the training's impact on improving responses to incidents like aircraft crashes. “Such training brings together all the agencies for a common objective. This ensures that everybody is on the same page and understands their responsibilities,” he said.
McMahon noted that Paro International Airport is considered one of the world's five most challenging airports due to factors such as terrain, wind conditions, and runway length. “We have a dedicated fire service at the airport, consisting of professional firefighters equipped with specialized equipment and trained for specific tasks to respond to emergencies,” he added, observing significant improvement in their skills since 2019. He praised the strong response observed in the exercise as highly valuable.
The last similar full-scale exercise was conducted in 2022 after being postponed since 2018 due to the pandemic. McMahon has provided innovative and immersive training experiences for air emergency services in over 20 countries worldwide.
