Last night, Air Canada flight 2259, operated by PAL Airlines, made a terrifying emergency landing at Halifax Stanfield International Airport. The incident happened around 9:30 p.m. local time when the plane from St. John’s was landing and had mechanical issues.
Key Details About the Air Canada Flight 2259 Emergency Landing
Air Canada has confirmed that 73 passengers and crew were on board the Dash 8-400.
According to passenger accounts, the left landing gear didn’t deploy and the plane skidded down the runway. Witnesses said sparks and fire came out of the left side of the plane as the wing scraped the pavement.
“The plane shook quite a bit and we started seeing fire on the left side of the plane and smoke started coming in the windows,” passenger Nikki Valentine shared with CBC News.
“The plane started to sit at about a 20-degree angle to the left and, as that happened, we heard a pretty loud what almost sounded like a crash sound as the wing of the plane started to skid along the pavement, along with what I presume was the engine.
Despite the rough landing every one of the 73 passengers and crew got off the plane safely. Paramedics were on site to check everyone for injuries but no serious injuries were reported. Halifax Stanfield International Airport closed its runways for a few hours to deal with the situation and reopened later that night.
Investigation
An investigation is underway to find out what caused the mechanical failure. Initial reports say it was the landing gear but aviation experts will also look at weather and maintenance records.
Air Canada’s failed landing is the third major aviation disaster this week. A passenger plane crashed in South Korea just hours before and 179 people died. On Christmas Day an Azerbaijan Airlines plane crashed in Kazakhstan and 38 of the 67 on board died.
The Transportation Safety Board has classified this as a serious incident and will release more information in the coming weeks.
Our thoughts are with all those affected by the recent aviation incidents. Please feel free to share your reflections in the comments below.
