Passengers evacuated from United Airlines aircraft after it rolls off runway in Houston
File photo.
A United Airlines aircraft rolled off a runway and got stuck in the grass in Houston on Friday (Mar 8). Passengers were evacuated from the aircraft. In a statement, United Airlines said that no injuries were reported among the 160 passengers and six crew members. The airline said that stairs were brought to the plane and the crew helped all passengers leave safely.
It did not immediately comment on what caused the plane to veer off the runway.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) launched an investigation into the incident. “All passengers have been bused to the terminal and are being assisted by our team with their onward connections and other needs. We are removing luggage from the aircraft and will work to reunite customers with their belongings as quickly as possible,” United Airlines said, adding it would work with the NTSB, FAA, and Boeing to understand what happened.
According to Houston Airport System, flight 2477 from Memphis, Tennessee had landed at Bush Intercontinental Airport around 8 am and was rolling toward a terminal gate when the Boeing 737 Max 8 left the pavement.
A video taken following the landing showed the aircraft tilted to one side with one of its wings very close to the ground.
One of the passengers, Mike Allard, told local media that he heard a “huge pop” before the aircraft tilted over, catching everyone by surprise. “Seems like we were making a turn. The plane was going a little too fast and just slid off. That’s what I took it as,” Allard, a pastor, said, adding he was glad that everyone was ok.
This incident in Houston came days after a United Airlines aircraft bound for Japan made a safe landing in Los Angeles on Thursday after losing a tyre while taking off from San Francisco.
According to a report by the news agency Associated Press, The tyre landed in an employee parking lot at San Francisco International Airport, where it smashed into a car and shattered its back window before breaking through a fence and coming to a stop in a neighbouring lot.
No injuries were reported. United Airlines said that the flight had 235 passengers and a crew of 14.
(With inputs from agencies)