A technical malfunction forced an Airfast aircraft to come to a standstill on the runway of I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali on 8 March, causing significant disruptions to arriving and departing flights.
The aircraft, a Twin Otter Seaplane registered as DH PK OAM 6, was operating a flight from Benete, Sumbawa Barat, and landed at 09.26 WITA. Shortly after touchdown on runway 09/27, the plane was unable to move due to an unspecified technical issue.
As a result, authorities closed the runway from 10.15 WITA to noon for safety reasons.
Runway Closure and Flight Disruptions
“The aircraft could not be moved to the apron immediately, leading to a necessary runway closure to ensure operational safety,” said Ahmad Syaugi Shahab, General Manager of I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport.
The incident led to delays for 10 departing flights—five domestic and five international—and disruptions for 21 arriving flights, including nine domestic and 12 international services.
Several flights were diverted to alternative airports, with six rerouted to Lombok, five to Surabaya, three to Makassar, two to Semarang, one to Jakarta, and another to Banyuwangi. Three flights returned to their original departure points in Lombok, Jakarta, and Singapore.
Evacuation and Resumption of Operations
During the closure, seven passengers on board the Airfast aircraft were evacuated to the General Aviation Terminal.
Authorities also conducted a thorough inspection of the runway to ensure no debris or hazards remained before reopening it.
Normal operations resumed gradually after the reopening, with the first arrival being a Singapore Airlines flight at 13.10 WITA, followed by the first departure—an Air India flight—at 13.26 WITA.
