ANA plane overshoots runway, plows into snow in Hokkaido

CHITOSE, Hokkaido -- An All Nippon Airways (ANA) plane overshot the runway at New Chitose Airport here while landing at around noon on Jan. 19, plowing into nearby snow.

According to the Chitose fire department, no injuries were reported among the 25 passengers and crew aboard Flight 1831 out of Akita.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has deemed the trouble a "serious incident" that could have led to a major accident. The Japan Transport Safety Board dispatched five investigators to the scene.

ANA said the plane was a Bombardier DHC-8. It braked as it prepared to enter the taxiway, but slipped. The pilot was quoted as telling the airline, "I was unable to make the turn.

Passengers disembarked at about 1 p.m. and were taken to the airport terminal by bus.

New Chitose Aviation Weather Station said that it had been snowing around the airport from the predawn hours of Jan. 19. At around noon, 32 centimeters of snow was piled up, but the runway had been cleared and the transport ministry said the surface was in good condition.

The runway where the ANA plane landed -- one of two at the airport -- was closed for about six hours as a result of the accident, while a total of 50 flights were cancelled, partially due to snow.