At John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California, on Sunday night, an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 made a landing so rough that the left-hand landing gear punctured through the wing. Sparks flew as the left-hand engine dragged along the runway.
Sparks were seen flying from the left wing shortly after landing in a dramatic video shot by a passenger on the flight. The plane continued down the runway as passengers screamed out as a reaction to the hard landing.
The extent of the damage was quickly apparent once the plane had completely stopped, and because the 14-year-old Boeing 737NG was unable to taxi to the gate, passengers had to be evacuated via airstairs.
The left-hand engine dragged along the runway as the plane decelerated before coming to a stop. Unsurprisingly, the plane is still stranded in Santa Ana, forcing the cancellation of the return flight to Seattle.
Thankfully, none of the 106 passengers or the six crew members were injured.
The accident’s cause is still not known, and investigators must determine whether local weather conditions had any bearing on the incident. The possibility that a technical problem contributed to the landing gear piercing the wing will also be examined by investigators.
Photo cover credit: via Twitter @airplusnews
