Aircraft Literally Stuck In The Mud

Officials with the Australian Transportation Safety Board (ATSB) say it now looks like a problem with the ground maneuvering system caused a United Airlines 747 to veer off a taxiway after landing at Melbourne Airport.

The aircraft's main nose gear was believed to be deeply bogged in a grassy area just off the taxiway. Melbourne Airport crews worked with United Airlines engineers to move the plane back onto the taxiway. So far... no luck.

That Plane Is Seriously Stuck

In fact, heavy lifting equipment was being trucked in from Sydney overnight Saturday to hopefully get the jumbo jet out of the grass and back onto the tarmac.

An ATSB spokesman said investigators would talk to the pilot, air traffic controller and crew on board at the time of the incident. United has also launched an investigation. A spokeswoman for Melbourne Airport said the incident had not affected the landing of other aircraft at the airport.

A spokeswoman for the airline said initial investigations indicated a mechanical problem with the nose wheel steering was the cause of problems. She said the aircraft was taxiing from the active runway to the international terminal at 10-12 knots when the nosewheel steering failed to respond.

The spokeswoman said cockpit crew immediately brought the aircraft to a standstill but it moved off to the left of the taxiway as it was stopping.

None of the 150 passengers and 12 crew on board the United Airlines flight 815 from Los Angeles was injured when the plane careered off track.

This May Take Awhile...

However, passengers faced a 45 minute delay as they awaited a shuttle bus to transport them from the stranded aircraft to the international terminal. Passengers told Melbourne's Channel Nine the plane came to an abrupt and crooked stop.

"The plane veered one way quickly, then it veered the other way quickly and it skidded and we saw a lot of dirt come up," one passenger said.

"Then boom, the plane was on an angle." Another passenger said he felt the plane lurch.

"They said something happened and the front wheel locked and they couldn't get it around," he said.

FMI: www.atsb.gov.au, www.melair.com.au, www.united.com