Atlas Air experiences third aircraft incident this month and has to close runway in Hong Kong

Atlas Air suffered its third aircraft incident this month. At Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), a runway had to be closed, causing delays to around 186 flights this morning. The airport was able to resume operations with two runways at 3:45 p.m. local time.

An Atlas 747-400F en route from Hong Kong via Anchorage to Chicago suffered a hydraulic failure near Taiwan. The crew decided to return to Hong Kong and landed two hours later.

However, “some of the aircraft’s tires burst” during landing, according to Aviation Heraldwas incapacitated and unable to move for several hours due to a hydraulic problem.

HKIA confirmed that there were no injuries. However, after the aircraft’s initial takeoff at 4:10am, there were reports of suspected tyre fragments on the south runway, prompting flight operations to be diverted to the north runway.

Hactl, Hong Kong’s main cargo handler, confirmed normal operations.

The airport authority expressed “extreme concern about the incident and will require the airline to submit a report to the AAHK and the Civil Aviation Authority in accordance with established procedures.”

This is the third significant incident involving Atlas Air in just over two weeks – and the sixth this year. Two aircraft are currently grounded.

Last Tuesday, an Atlas 747-400F on the Seoul-Anchorage-Guadalajara flight suffered a hydraulic failure after takeoff while climbing to 10,000 feet. It lost fuel before returning to Seoul. The treads of two tires had separated, severing a hydraulic line, and a third tire burst during landing, reported Aviation Herald.

Just nine days earlier, the same plane had landed in Los Angeles with a damaged left landing gear tire and remained on the ground for about nine hours before taking off for Mexico City.

Atlas had two incidents in January: a 747-8F caught an engine fire after takeoff from Miami, and a 747-8F’s right engine struck the runway during landing in Anchorage. An Atlas 777 was hit by hail in Hong Kong in late April, causing damage.

Atlas Air has 51 747s in service and seven parked, and six 777s, one of which is parked. The 747s have an average age of 21 years, while the 777s are just six years old.