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City directors in flight drama
10/ 1/2004
CITY’S directors cheated death on the way home from the side’s defeat at Portsmouth on Saturday night.
The 14-strong party, that included chairman John Wardle and the rest of his board, were 10 minutes into their return flight to Manchester when an engine caught fire and blew up.
The pilot was forced into an emergency landing at Farnborough Airport where the Jetstream plane, operated by Eastern Airways, was greeted by a number of fire engines and ambulances.
No one was hurt, though the shocked party were ferried by bus to a nearby hotel.
“I can honestly say I’ve never been so scared,” said playing legend Dennis Tueart who was sat on the wing of the engine that blew.
Fumes
“There was a big bang and a lot of sparks and some fumes which got into the plane but I have to say the pilot did a fantastic job to get us down in one piece and the staff were superb in keeping everyone calm.”
Investigators will look at the plane in daylight to see if they can ascertain what caused the problem. Meanwhile the directors’ party, which included MEN reporter Chris Bailey, continued its journey back to Manchester by coach.
City chairman Wardle later said: “It was not very nice at all to come in on a plane and then see it surrounded by fire engines. In fact it was terrifying. I was frightened to death. We all consider ourselves lucky to be alive. I don’t drink that much but I’ve having a double whisky now.”
City’s club doctor Mark Whittaker, who was on board the plane, was busy as the terrified passengers disembarked checking none of them needed to be taken to hospital.
Wardle is the 59-year-old founder and major shareholder of Bury’s biggest employer J D Sports.
The team had taken off on a different plane earlier and returned home safely. City boss Kevin Keegan had been made aware of developments and was naturally relieved that the chairman, directors and everyone else on board had escaped the drama.
On board were all the City directors - Tueart, Bryan Bodeck, chairman Wardle and Alistair MacIntosh - together with life presidents Ian Niven and Tudor Thomas.
Another passenger, Altrincham director Andy Shaw, a well known Manchester property developer, said: “For two or three minutes we really did think it was the end. We were all petrified. There were sparks coming off the engine but the pilot did a good job. As we landed we were greeted by three fire engines.”
Read Chris Bailey's personal account of the drama in Monday's edition of the M.E.N.
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