'Disoriented' pilot taxied into soft spot

A Freedom Air passenger jet bound for Hamilton became bogged at Melbourne airport because the pilot wrongly identified the runway taxiing area, an investigation has found.

An Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) report has found that the pilot accidentally steered the plane onto a strip of asphalt that was unable to support its weight because he became confused by guidance lights.

It took five hours for a crew of 30 people to free the Boeing 737-300 jet, carrying 99 passengers, after the incident around 7.40pm on October 4 last year.

The ATSB found the plane had been forced to taxi to runway 27 by a different route from normal because of construction work.

Freedom Air general manager Stephen Jones said as a result of the incident, the airline had reviewed its communication procedures regarding runway maintenance at the airports it flies to.

The report said the pilot, who had 1500 hours' experience flying Boeing 737s, became disoriented by lights from the runway and another plane, but was also misdirected by the air traffic control tower.

The plane veered off the taxiway, and when the pilot attempted to correct, he again wrongly identified where he was going.

- NZPA