An Air Canada flight from St. John’s experienced a dramatic emergency landing at Halifax Airport on Saturday night after a malfunction in its landing gear caused the plane to skid down the runway. The incident unfolded when the aircraft was attempting to land, and passengers aboard reported a terrifying sequence of events.
According to witnesses, the plane tilted at a 20-degree angle, with the left wing scraping the ground as it descended. The impact of the malfunction was evident as passengers heard a loud crash, followed by intense shaking. As the aircraft continued to skid, smoke and fire began to emerge from the left side of the plane, adding to the panic on board. Nikki Valentine, one of the passengers, recalled the terrifying experience of smoke quickly entering the cabin, adding to the chaos inside.
🚨🇨🇦 BREAKING: AIR CANADA FLIGHT LANDS WITH BROKEN LANDING GEAR IN HALIFAX, MINOR INJURIES REPORTED
An Air Canada flight reportedly made an emergency landing at Halifax airport after its landing gear failed.
Despite the malfunction, only minor injuries were reported among… pic.twitter.com/HCtnrwzg9p
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) December 29, 2024
Fortunately, fire crews were quick to respond, extinguishing the blaze and preventing further damage to the aircraft. Despite the frightening situation, no injuries were reported among the 130 passengers and crew members aboard. The emergency response team worked swiftly to ensure the safety of everyone involved, and passengers were safely evacuated once the fire was contained.
In the aftermath of the emergency landing, flight operations at Halifax Airport were temporarily suspended to allow for safety checks. Airport authorities conducted a thorough inspection of the runway and the aircraft before normal operations resumed. The incident has raised concerns about the safety protocols in place for handling landing gear malfunctions and emergency situations.
While the cause of the landing gear failure is still under investigation, Air Canada has assured the public that they are working with authorities to determine the cause of the malfunction and ensure that similar incidents do not occur in the future. The airline also commended the quick actions of the flight crew and emergency responders, whose swift response helped prevent any casualties.
