Plane Crashes on Take-Off in Brussels
Xinhua | May 25, 2008
A freight aircraft belonging to U.S. carrier Kalitta Air crashed on take-off at Brussels Airport on May 25.
The plane, a Boeing 747, crashed at the end of the runway and disintegrated into two. Fortunately none of the five crew were injured.
The plane ended up near rail tracks and led to a minor disruption to traffic. Passengers taking rail services to Brussels Airport had to board buses to reach the terminal, VRT News reported.
The accident also caused a minor disruption of flights from the airport, according to VRT.
The cause of the crash is being investigated. There were suggestions that a burst tire might be to blame. The pilot heard a strange noise and then had to put the plane back on the ground, VRT quoted a local official as saying.
The Bahrain-bound plane had made a stopover in Brussels. It had 76 tons of freight on board. Post made up half the freight, said VRT.