<p>   u00a0</p>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   &quot;During a pre-landing check, the ATC discovered that one of the two front wheels were missing. The pilots were immediately informed and an emergency was declared at Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International (LGBI) Airport,&quot; a source in the Airports Authority of India (AAI) here told IANS.</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   u00a0</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   The ATR flight from Silchar was being commanded by Capt. Urmila Yadav and co-piloted by Capt. Yashu.</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   u00a0</div>  <p class="caption">   <img alt="Air India aircraft" src="/imagedata/2012/jun/air-india_1.jpg" style="width: 500px; height: 326px; " /><br />   Air India aircraft. Photo: AFP</p>  <div>   u00a0</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   They kept the aircraft circling for more than two hours over the airport to burn off the fuel while preparations were being made for an emergency landing, the source said.</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   u00a0</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   &quot;In such a situation, the remaining fuel is always burnt off to lighten the aircraft and prevent a fatal accident while landing,&quot; the source said.</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   u00a0</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   Although panic gripped passengers after they came to know about the snag, the plane landed safely and the passengers and crew were evacuated and were safe, an AAI official said.</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   u00a0</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi congratulated the pilots over the phone for their courage in landing the and saving precious lives.</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   u00a0</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   The aircraft lost its front wheel during take off, a statement issued from the Chief Minister&#39;s Office here said.</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   u00a0</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   In New Delhi, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ordered an enquiry into the incident. A team has from the DGCA eastern headquarters at Kolkata has already left for Guwahati, a source said.u00a0</div>  

The presence of mind of the two pilots, one of them a woman, saved the lives of 48 passengers and crew aboard a Guwahati-bound Air India plane Sunday after it was noticed that one of the two front wheels of the aircraft was missing as it came in to land here

Alert pilots save 48 passengers aboard Air India plane

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Alert pilots save 48 passengers aboard Air India plane

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