An Air Canada flight was forced to make an emergency landing at Halifax Stanfield International Airport after experiencing significant troubles with its landing gear on Saturday night. This alarming incident occurred during the landing of Air Canada Flight 2259, which was operated by PAL Airlines and had departed from St. John’s International Airport. At approximately 9:30 p.m. AST (1:30 a.m. GMT Sunday), the aircraft encountered serious issues, prompting emergency services to spring swiftly to action.
According to reports, the emergency was triggered when one of the plane's tires failed to deploy properly upon descent, leading to the aircraft skidding along the runway and resulting in it catching fire. Passengers reported feeling the plane tilt at about 20 degrees to the left during the landing, which led to panic among those on board. Passenger Nikki Valentine recounted the experience vividly when she spoke to CBC News, saying, "The plane started to sit at about a 20-degree angle to the left, and, as the wing of the plane started to skid along the pavement, we heard a pretty loud—what almost sounded like a crash sound."
Valentine's account continued with alarming details: "The plane shook quite a bit and we started seeing fire on the left side of the plane and smoke started coming in the windows." Such statements depict the chaos and danger faced by the passengers of Flight 2259 as they landed under treacherous conditions.
After the emergency landing, the swift response of emergency crews was instrumental in ensuring the safety of everyone on board. Following the skidding incident, passengers were evacuated from the aircraft and taken to a hangar for medical checks by paramedics. Fortunately, no casualties were reported, but many individuals experienced trauma from the ordeal.
The troublesome incident did not just disrupt air travel for those on board; it temporarily brought operations at Halifax Stanfield International Airport to a halt. A statement by the airport noted, "This evening, our airport was briefly closed, but one of our runways has been cleared to resume regular operations,” highlighting the immediate effects of the scenario on local air travel.
Photos and videos circulating on social media showcased the gravity of the situation as they displayed the aircraft skidding down the runway with flames erupting from one side. The De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 aircraft, mainly used for short-haul flights, recorded one of its most dramatic landings yet as it skidded and ignited due to the suspected malfunction of its landing gear.
Reports from the airport indicated there were about 73 passengers and crew members on board at the time of the event, though information about others who may have been inside the terminal was initially uncertain. Nonetheless, all aboard were evacuated successfully, and according to Nikki Valentine, "One side of the entire plane was on fire, so everyone was pretty much in a hurry to get off—but it was an organized hurry." This organized evacuation was pivotal to maintaining safety during such distressing circumstances.
The airport authorities and local emergency services worked through the night assessing the situation and investigating the specific cause of the landing gear failure, focusing on whether mechanical or procedural missteps played any role. Aviation safety assessments are typically conducted after incidents such as this, as officials look to guarantee passenger safety and confidence moving forward.
The incident marks another dramatic event within the aviation sector as it follows several related mishaps within the past week. While no passengers had life-threatening injuries, many felt shaken after experiencing the intense ordeal, with some still processing the events of the emergency landing.
The quick action of airport and emergency personnel ensured the safety of the passengers, and they were eventually allowed to leave the airport under secure and controlled conditions. Investigators will likely continue to examine the aircraft for insights and improvements moving forward toward greater flight safety. With the Dash 8-400 being widely used across short-haul segments, proper checks and balances are necessary to avert such scenarios from recurring.
Emergency responses and communication from the airport were commended as they kept passengers informed, setting expectations for those traveling through the airport. Their focus remains on ensuring operational readiness and the implementation of safety procedures, assuring the public and travelers through Halifax Airport about their commitment to flight safety.