Witness Says Landing Was Second Attempt

Short runways and rain just don't mix. On the same day a TAM Airlines jet went off the end of a rain-slick runway in Brazil, a Colombian passenger jet did much the same thing.

At least six people were injured Tuesday when an AeroRepublica Embraer 190 carrying 54 passengers and five crew members landed at Simon Bolivar Airport, in the coastal city of Santa Marta, in heavy rain and skidded off the end of the runway, breaking through a fence and diving nose-first into the Caribbean sea.

Passenger Jose Valencia told Agence France-Presse the landing was actually the second attempt and the aircraft touched down halfway down the runway.

"The runway was wet, and with all that wind the plane could not stop and went straight before turning on its side with its nose ending up in the water," he said.

The injuries were said to be minor and all passengers were able to exit the aircraft on the deployed emergency chutes.

Colombia's Transportation Minister Andres Uriel Gallego said the government would study a long-standing proposal to privatize and relocate the airport as a result of the accident, according to the Associated Press.

That runway at SMR is 5,575 feet long and there have been complaints about it in the past -- as there had been at the Sao Paulo airport, site of Tuesday's fatal accident involving a TAM Airlines A320.

We've also had some problems at the airport," said Fabio Villegas, President of Avianca, the country's largest airline. "I think it's worth the effort for aviation authorities, together with the airlines, take another look at any operational limits that exist at the airport."

FMI: www.aerorepublica.com