Passengers say plane filled with smoke after fiery landing in Halifax

The Halifax airport was closed for about 90 minutes Saturday evening after a airplane arriving from St. John’s skilled an issue touchdown, which noticed the airplane skid down the runway and a part of it catch fireplace.

Passenger Nikki Valentine, who spoke with CBC Information from a hangar the place a lot of these aboard the flight have been taken, mentioned there gave the impression to be an issue with one of many airplane’s tires upon touchdown.

“The airplane began to take a seat at a couple of 20-degree angle to the left and, as that occurred, we heard a reasonably loud — what virtually appeared like a crash sound — because the wing of the airplane began to skid alongside the pavement, together with what I presume was the engine,” she mentioned.

Valentine mentioned the airplane then skidded down the runway for a “first rate” distance because the pilots labored to cease the airplane.

“The airplane shook fairly a bit and we began seeing fireplace on the left aspect of the airplane and smoke began coming within the home windows,” she mentioned.

Fellow passenger Aden O’Callaghan mentioned the cabin was full of smoke by the point he exited the airplane.

In an interview Sunday, he mentioned you would hear the concern in flight attendants voices as they directed passengers — a few of whom have been screaming and crying.

He mentioned it “took a stunning period of time” to evacuate as some passengers tried to assemble their belongings. 

“I began yelling. I used to be like all people, like, ‘F your belongings. Get the hell off, all people must be protected,'” he mentioned.

Crew and 73 passengers

A press release issued by the airport mentioned the touchdown concerned Air Canada Flight 2259, which was operated by PAL Airways. It occurred round 9:30 p.m. AT. 

A spokesperson for PAL Airways deferred remark to Air Canada.

Air Canada spokesperson Peter Fitzpatrick mentioned the airplane skilled a “suspected touchdown gear problem” after arrival Saturday evening. The plane had the crew and 73 passengers on board. 

A number of passengers, together with Valentine, mentioned it took about two minutes to get everybody off the airplane.

“One aspect of all the airplane was on fireplace, so everybody was just about in a rush to get off — however an organized hurry,” Valentine mentioned.

Passenger Steve Mahar mentioned there was a drop of roughly 1.25 to 1.5 metres from the airplane to the runway.

“In my head there was at all times an inflatable slide or one thing that comes down,” Mahar mentioned. “That was not the case.”

Valentine mentioned the passengers didn’t appear to undergo any life-threatening accidents however have been shaken up.

O’Callaghan mentioned Sunday he felt concussed. He mentioned he additionally had a sore neck and again. 

“Apart from that I’m OK, nonetheless a bit shaken up,” O’Callaghan mentioned, including he feels particularly fortunate given a lethal airplane crash in South Korea solely hours earlier than. 

Fitzpatrick mentioned no person on board was injured, though a spokesperson from the Nova Scotia RCMP who responded to the incident alongside paramedics mentioned minor accidents have been reported.

Halifax Regional Fireplace and Emergency additionally assisted, however declined an interview request Sunday, as a substitute referring CBC to the airport authority.

Investigation set to start

The airport mentioned one in all its runways has since reopened. 4 flights have been diverted and there have been a handful of cancellations and delays whereas the airfield was closed, in line with a assertion issued on Sunday.

WATCH | Passenger says airplane began vibrating on touchdown: 

Air Canada flight makes a fiery touchdown in Halifax

The Transportation Security Board is investigating after an Air Canada flight from St. John skilled an issue touchdown at Halifax Stanfield Worldwide Airport in Nova Scotia. Social media footage reveals the airplane skidding down the runway with one in all its wings on fireplace.

Officers from the Transportation Security Board of Canada are anticipated to be on website at present conducting an investigation.

A press release from the company on Sunday mentioned it’s “deploying workforce of investigators following an accident involving a de Havilland DHC-8-402 plane operated PAL Airways.”  

The plane continues to be on the closed runway.

Fitzpatrick mentioned Air Canada can return belongings left on board when the Transportation Security Board releases the plane.