Photo: DANIEL SLIM/AFP/Getty Images
Alaska Airlines reported that passengers on one of its planes experienced moments of tension when Sparks flew shortly after landing in Southern California Sunday night due to a problem with its landing gear.
He Alaska Airlines Flight 1288 he was unable to taxi to the gate upon arrival at John Wayne Airport in Orange County when he landed at 11:15 p.m. Pacific time.
The flight, which departed from Seattle, had 106 passengers and six crew members.
The plane suffered a main landing gear collapse and was “resting on its engine,” according to a call from the scene to the Orange County Fire Authority.
Video believed to have been taken by a passenger on Flight 1288 shows sparks and smoke billowing from the side of the plane after landing. Screams can be heard from the cockpit after the plane made a forced landing.
“Shit,” a passenger is heard saying. “There are sparks outside.”
The incident occurred as Tropical Storm Hilary battered southern California on Sunday with a deluge of rain, flooding roads and breaking rainfall records for parts of the region in its historic arrival.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for much of Southern California, with flash flood warnings in effect until early Monday.
An emergency response was requested and all 112 people were disembarked from the aircraft at the airfield via stairs.
No injuries were reported, a statement from John Wayne Airport told NBC News.
“All of them are safe. The plane parked on a taxiway, where it remains, and everyone safely exited the plane. They were then taken by bus to the terminal,” Alaska Airlines added in a statement.
Alaska Airlines maintenance and safety teams are inspecting the aircraft.
We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience during this situation. The safety of our guests and employees is always our top priority. While this incident is rare, our flight crews are extensively trained to safely handle many scenarios,” the airline said.
A week ago, the flames came from a Southwest Airlines plane in the sky near Houstonforcing the plane to hastily withdraw and land safely, authorities said.
flight 307 took off from Houston and was headed to Cancun before returning to William P. Hobby Airport “after experiencing a mechanical issue shortly after takeoff” on Aug. 15, Southwest said in a statement.
Video taken from the ground captured the terrifying scene of flames erupting from the plane’s right engine, belying the routine exchange between the pilot and the tower preparing for their return to Hobby.
The plane landed safely and no injuries were reported.
Flight 307 was only airborne for 16 minutes in total, before passengers were brought back to the ground and transferred to a new plane.
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