Here's the article from the Boston Globe. I can tell you, the wheels were not what caused the sparks on the first attempt siince they were safely tucked in the wheel wells. Don't know the full story so I don't want to speculate but I'm here to tell ya there's more to this story!
An American Eagle flight from Toronto with 40 people on board landed safely today after circling Logan International Airport for an hour.
By John R. Ellement and Andrew Ryan, Globe Staff
Thirty-seven passengers erupted in applause when their plane touched down safely this morning at Logan International Airport after the
pilot aborted an earlier landing because sparks sprayed as the aircraft's wheels hit the runway.
The plane circled the airport for an hour, making two passes at the air traffic control tower so its landing gear could be visually inspected.
"We could see their eyes," during one of the flybys, said William Shannon, a Wayland resident on the flight. "We were only 200 feet above the ground."
The air traffic controllers inspecting the plane from the ground liked what they saw. "It was clear from all the people looking -- and that was a lot of people -- that ... all the landing gear were down," said Phil Orlandella, a Massport spokesman.
The plane, Flight 4539, landed safely at 9:30 a.m. "It was very tension provoking to say the least," Shannon said.
Edward C. Freni, Massport's director of aviation, said at a press conference that as the plane first attempted to land at 8:29 a.m., a maintenance worker spotted sparks coming from the rear of the aircraft. The worker, Mark Faithful, relayed what he saw to the air traffic control tower, which ordered the plane to take off again. Passengers inside the plane reported hearing a loud "clunk."
Pieces of the plane were found on the runway after the first landing attempt, Freni said. The Federal Aviation Administration plans to examine the aircraft. The National Transportation Safety Board is also investigating the incident.
While it was tense as the plane circled the airport, passengers said the two pilots and one flight attendant remained clam and professional. There were no hysterics or dramatic outbursts from those on board.
Before attempting a second landing, passengers were told to brace for a hard touchdown. When the plane finally landed, it was smooth and no one was injured.
During the final moments of the flight, Shannon said he thought about of all the airplane crashes he has watched in movies over the years. "It's one of those [experiences] you'd just as soon not be living,” he said.
After landing safely, the plane was greeted on the ground by about 100 emergency personnel.
"Everything we practice and drill on worked perfectly," Freni said.
Posted by the Boston Globe City & Region Desk at
09:51 AM