When a Phnom Penh Airways plane that was damaged during a landing attempt in Siem Reap wasn’t ready to fly Saturday morning, its passengers were transferred to a President Airlines flight.
But then the President Airlines flight had problems, landing on its fourth try at Pochentong Airport on Saturday after being reassured from the ground that its landing wheels were in position.
The trouble began Friday when the Phnom Penh Airways flight accidentally hit an eight-meter ground antenna, breaking glass in the pilot’s windshield and slightly damaging a wing. Njath Arunara, deputy of police at the airport, said there were at least 10 passengers on board.
Those passengers were transferred to the President Airlines flight that had trouble landing because, according to the warning lights in the plane’s cabin, the landing gear was not in place.
The pilot made three attempted landings before an observer in the airport tower was able to radio the pilot and tell him the wheels were in place.
The plane landed safely, but many of the 65 passengers on board were shaken and some were crying as they got off the plane.
“It was terrible to see it [not land],” said Hem Theng, chief of police at the airport. “We could only look at it and be on alert to help.”
