22/09/2005

Jammed wheel airliner makes emergency landing

A passenger jet with faulty front wheels was forced to make an emergency landing with 146 people on board.

As the plane touched down, a sheet of flame and smoke shot from the wheel assembly that was stuck with the wheels facing sideways.

US television news channels broadcast the drama as it unfolded live, and it was apparently watched by some of the passengers on the seat-back screens on board the aircraft.

The Airbus A320, operated by JetBlu, left Bob Hope Airport in Burbank bound for JFK International Airport when the pilot noticed that there was a malfunction in the plane's landing gear.

Initially redirected to nearby Long Beach Airport, Flight 292 was subsequently cleared to land at Los Angeles International Airport where full emergency service cover was standing by to deal with the situation.

However, the aircraft had to fly in a holding pattern for over three hours to burn off fuel to lighten the plane and reduce the load on the faulty nose wheels for the landing attempt.

Fire and other emergency services rushed to the jet once it had ground to a halt on the runway. A few minutes later, passengers were allowed to disembark via a stairway.

Despite the spectacular landing the jet appeared to be otherwise undamaged. There were no reports of any injuries.

(SP)

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