Cows cause plane to run off Parmakatoi airstrip

Jun 05, 2014 News

By Zena Henry
An Air Services Limited (ASL) pilot counted his lucky stars on Monday when he walked away unharmed after crashing into a fence at the Parmakatoi, Region Eight airstrip. The pilot had tried to avoid a herd of cows that were running across the airstrip at the same time the plane was about to land.
ASL’s General Manger Annette Arjoon-Martins told the newspaper yesterday that the 8R-SUP Cessna 206 was shuttling food items from Mahdia when on approach to the airstrip, the pilot encountered a strong cross wind.
She said that as the pilot prepared to land the plane; cows then began to run across the runway. In an attempt to avoid the cows the pilot veered off the runway and came to a stop in a barbed wire fence.
Luckily, she added, there were no passengers onboard. She added also that the damage to the plane is reparable.
Ms. Arjoon- Martins was firm that more needs to be done to ensure safety, especially in the interior locations. She said that cattle and airstrips don’t mix and much more has to be done to keep the animals off the airstrip since this is an existing problem for aircraft operators.
Members of the Guyana Aircraft Owners Association; an entity of which Ms. Arjoon-Martins is a part, has been making calls for the government to effectively handle the various inefficiencies and deficiencies facing the industry.
They had noted that much has to be done to maintain the interior landing grounds. They had forwarded a four-part proposal to the government on ways to better deal with the industry. They had however expressed disappointment that the proposal was not considered in this year’s budget, and meager funds were allocated to maintain some of the airstrips.
Director General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) Zulficar Mohamed told Kaieteur News that agents had been sent in to assess the situation.

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