Nose gear complication triggers emergency landing at Charlotte Douglas, no injuries reported.
A Boeing 717 belonging to Delta Air Lines successfully executed an emergency landing on Wednesday morning at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, sans its front landing gear, as confirmed by the carrier.
Chris Skotarczak, one of the passengers onboard, assured ABC News that the in-flight atmosphere remained calm during the incident. He lauded the crew for their exceptional handling of the situation.
In an official statement, Delta confirmed that the 96 passengers and 5 crew members - comprising two pilots and three flight attendants - were unharmed following the perilous journey that originated in Atlanta.
According to Delta, a "nose gear unsafe" warning prompted pilots to fly past the Charlotte airport's air traffic control tower. This maneuver allowed air traffic controllers to visually assess the situation, revealing that the nose landing gear doors were open, but the gear itself remained stowed.
The pilots swiftly declared an onboard emergency, and passengers were promptly informed by flight attendants. Despite warnings of a turbulent landing, passengers reported a surprisingly smooth touchdown. Relief flooded the cabin as applause broke out once the aircraft was safely on the ground, followed by a quick evacuation using the plane's slide.
Delta reiterated in their statement: "Although an uncommon occurrence, our Delta flight crews undergo extensive training to safely navigate through a variety of scenarios, and Flight 1092 was no exception, landing safely without reported injuries. Our subsequent priority is ensuring our passengers' needs are met, including retrieving their luggage and securing their safe journey to their final destinations. We offer our sincere apologies for the experience they endured."
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) acknowledged the flight's unusual landing condition and announced plans to conduct an investigation.
Following the emergency landing, one of the airport's four runways was temporarily closed, which is expected to cause delays. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stressed to ABC News the importance of safety over speed, acknowledging that an investigation and subsequent aircraft removal would take some time.
Expressing optimism, Buttigieg suggested that the issue should be resolved promptly, estimating the runway to be operational within a matter of hours. Corroborating this, the FAA predicts that the runway will reopen by Thursday evening.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) acknowledged the flight's unusual landing condition and announced plans to conduct an investigation.
Following the emergency landing, one of the airport's four runways was temporarily closed, which is expected to cause delays. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stressed to ABC News the importance of safety over speed, acknowledging that an investigation and subsequent aircraft removal would take some time.
Expressing optimism, Buttigieg suggested that the issue should be resolved promptly, estimating the runway to be operational within a matter of hours. Corroborating this, the FAA predicts that the runway will reopen by Thursday evening.
