Indonesian plane skids during landing, five injured

JAKARTA, Nov 1 (Reuters) An Indonesian plane skidded on the runway after it broke its front wheel while landing at an airport in East Java today, lightly injuring five passengers, an airport official said.

The Boeing 737 operated by private Indonesian carrier Mandala Airlines carried 89 passengers from the capital, Jakarta, to the city of Malang, airport official Suradi told Reuters.

''The plane now lies abandoned on the runway ... Its head is slightly tilted down because the front wheel broke off,'' Suradi said by telephone.

Indonesia's air safety record has come under fire after two accidents this year.

In March, a Garuda Indonesia plane with 140 people on board overshot the runway in Yogyakarta in Java and burst into flames, killing 21 people.

In January, a plane belonging to budget carrier Adam Air crashed into the sea off Sulawesi island. All 102 on board are presumed dead.

REUTERS PJ RN1617