HALIFAX, Nova Scotia — The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has launched an investigation into a plane incident at Halifax Stanfield International Airport that a passenger has described as a turbulent landing that resulted in a burst of flames.
Nikki Valentine, who was on the PAL Airlines flight, shared her experience of the event, stating that upon landing on Saturday night, the passengers were jolted by a “massive rumble.” She recounted, “The cabin tilted, we saw sparks and then flames, and then smoke started getting sucked into the cabin,” on Sunday.
Tiffany Chase, an airport spokesperson, confirmed that the aircraft, an Air Canada Express flight operated by PAL Airlines and arriving from St. John’s, Newfoundland, encountered trouble while landing at around 9:30 PM.
According to Air Canada representative Peter Fitzpatrick, the Bombardier Q400 aircraft faced a “suspected landing gear issue” upon landing and was unable to make it to the terminal thereafter. Fitzpatrick assured that the crew and all 73 passengers were safely evacuated via bus, and fortunately, there were no reported injuries on board.
Valentine expressed her gratitude towards the pilot for managing the situation promptly, stating, “I’m especially thankful the pilot was able to get ahold of the situation very fast.”
The incident caused a temporary suspension of flight operations at the airport, leading to some disruptions. By Sunday afternoon, Valentine and other passengers were still stuck without their luggage, as they had been instructed to leave their bags on the aircraft. She mentioned contacting Air Canada, only to find out it could take up to three more days for their belongings to be returned, as the investigation was still ongoing.
“A lot of people have things like house keys or wallets they needed and couldn’t get,” she pointed out. While she acknowledged the situation was part of standard procedure, she added, “I’d rather the inconvenience of missing bags than if anything bad had happened, of course, but it’s still tough.”