Tuesday, June 28, 2005
Passenger injured when plane landing gear collapses at P.T.I.
the associated press
GREENSBORO, N.C.
An airline passenger was taken to the hospital Tuesday after the front landing gear of an Independence Air regional jet collapsed while passengers were about to leave the plane, an airport executive said.
Independence flight 1784 from Dulles Airport had arrived at Piedmont Triad International Airport shortly before noon, airport executive director Ted Johnson said.
The plane pulled up to a gate and crews were blocking the wheels and attaching lines to supply air and electricity when the gear gave way, dropping the front of the jet several feet, Johnson said.
"It's quite weird. I've never seen anything like it," he said.
The 50-seat Bombardier CRJ-200 carried 33 passengers and a three-member crew, said Independence Air spokesman Rick DeLisi.
A passenger standing near the door suffered a "minor shoulder injury," was examined after leaving the plane and taken to a hospital for further examination, DeLisi said.
The lone flight attendant was flown back to Dulles on another Independence jet to seek possible treatment, he said.
Johnson said it appeared the passenger suffered only bumps and scrapes.
A safety team was examining what went wrong, DeLisi said, and would work with Bombardier to determine the cause.