Air Pressure: A special report on America's struggling airlines
Scripps News investigates how demand, training and safety issues are combining to pressure airlines like never before.
LEARN MOREPosted: 11:56 a.m. EDT Aug 3, 2023
Nearly 200 passengers had to use emergency slides to evacuate a plane after a hard landing in Atlanta on Wednesday night.
A Delta flight from Richmond, Virginia, experienced a main gear tire burst after it caught fire while landing at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, the airline confirmed to Scripps News.
“We appreciate the efforts of our flight crew and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport first responders to manage through the safe landing of flight 1437 on Aug. 2. Reports indicate that one of the aircraft’s tires blew upon landing and components of the landing gear were hot,” Delta said in a statement. “We apologize to each for this experience – nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and crew.”
Emergency crews promptly rushed to the airport tarmac, providing essential assistance in safely evacuating the 190 passengers. They were then moved to the terminal via bus. According to the airline, there was one injury reported.
The Boeing 757 in question was safely moved from the runway late Wednesday night, and Delta tells Scripps News they are actively collaborating with "all aviation stakeholders" to thoroughly investigate the cause of the accident. In addition, the airline is conducting an internal review to further assess the incident.
Delta also says it has facilitated the passengers' flight connections, ensuring that everyone either made their connections Wednesday night or Thursday morning. Additionally, Delta said all the luggage was promptly returned to its rightful owners or forwarded to the appropriate destinations
