American Airlines jet catches fire on takeoff at Chicago airport
Updated: 2016-10-29 07:22
(Agencies)
|
|||||||||
CHICAGO - An American Airlines jet caught fire moments before it was due to depart O'Hare International Airport in Chicago on Friday, prompting the crew to abort takeoff and evacuate passengers via emergency chutes, authorities said.
No serious injuries were reported.
|
Chicago Fire Department Assistant Deputy Fire Commissioner Timothy Sampey holds a news conference about an American Airlines jet that caught fire as Aviation Commissioner Ginger Evans looks on at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois, US, October 28, 2016. [Photo/Agencies] |
The takeoff of American Airlines Flight 383, a Boeing 767 bound for Miami with 161 passengers and a crew of nine, was prompted by an "engine-related issue," the airline said in a statement.
The Federal Aviation Administration cited a blown-out tire reported by the flight crew as the plane was rolling down the runway before takeoff was aborted.
Neither the FAA nor the airline mentioned a fire.
But footage from Chicago's ABC News affiliate station, WLS-TV, showed an American Airlines jet on the ground with flames and large clouds of black smoke billowing from one side of the aircraft, which had its emergency slides deployed. Passengers milled about watching the blaze as fire trucks poured water on the flames.
A video clip posted on Facebook by Hector Gustavo Cardenas, who was on the plane, shows passengers shouting at each other to hurry as they move down the aisle to the emergency exit slide.
"15 Seconds later would have been on the air and would have been a good bye..." he wrote on Facebook.
The Chicago Department of Aviation confirmed in a statement that the city fire department responded to an aircraft fire involving American Airlines Flight 383 and that the passengers were off the plane. It said no crash was involved.
The company said seven passengers and one flight attendant were taken to a hospital for evaluation of minor injuries.
An American Airlines spokeswoman said the injuries were typical of those associated with evacuating a commercial jet, such as muscle sprains, and that none involved burns or smoke inhalation.
The incident forced the closure of at least three of the airport's eight runways, the city Aviation Department said.
By about two hours after the incident, the airport had experienced 130 delays of departing flights and 170 inbound flights, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware.com
As the mishap unfolded, tower controllers at O'Hare began ordering inbound aircraft to abort their landing approaches and "go around," initially closing all runways so emergency vehicles could reach the stricken aircraft, according to audio recordings of the main tower frequency posted by the website liveatc.net.
Asked by the pilot of one inbound plane to explain the maneuver, a tower controller is heard saying: "Vehicles have rights to all the runways right now because an American engine burst into flame on the rollout," the tapes showed.
Operations later resumed on the north side of O'Hare airport, one of the world's busiest, according to web tracking sites and a live feed of tower conversations from liveatc.net.
In September last year, a British Airways jetliner engine caught fire in Las Vegas as the plane was about to take off for London, forcing all 172 passengers and crew to escape as smoke and flames engulfed the aircraft.
- Hefty award offered for deciphering oracle bone characters
- China Daily brings you 'sixth plenums' in past 35 years
- Party ramps up supervision
- 400,000 migrant workers flock to Xinjiang to harvest cotton
- China anticipates booming job market in 2016
- Online shopping platform selects cat as 'chief cute officer'
- Asia American leaders discuss civic engagement
- World's disabled get new champion
- Clinton, Michelle Obama make first joint campaign appearance
- Miss Philippines wins 2016 Miss International Beauty Pageant
- Trump's Hollywood Walk of Fame star destroyed
- Maduro activates Defense Council to seek solution to crisis
- 2016 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards Finalists
- NINED VR creates splash with virtual reality products
- Splendid Sichuan captured in photos
- Chinese baozi shop gains popularity in Harvard Square
- Chinese mariner on record-breaking voyage goes missing
- 2045-square-meter photo mosaic breaks world record
- Red leaves reveal beauty of autumn
- Tibet mandala: The world in a grain of sand
Most Viewed
Editor's Picks
Anti-graft campaign targets poverty relief |
Cherry blossom signal arrival of spring |
In pictures: Destroying fake and shoddy products |
China's southernmost city to plant 500,000 trees |
Cavers make rare finds in Guangxi expedition |
Cutting hair for Longtaitou Festival |
Today's Top News
'Zero Hunger Run' held in Rome
Trump outlines anti-terror plan, proposing extreme vetting for immigrants
Phelps puts spotlight on cupping
US launches airstrikes against IS targets in Libya's Sirte
Ministry slams US-Korean THAAD deployment
Two police officers shot at protest in Dallas
Abe's blame game reveals his policies failing to get results
Ending wildlife trafficking must be policy priority in Asia
US Weekly
Geared to go |
The place to be |