The series of mishaps at Boeing continues. Just a short time after takeoff, a Delta Airlines 767 had to return to John F. Kennedy Airport in New York City. The reason: the plane had lost an emergency slide. Now the causes are being determined.
According to Delta Airlines, flight number 520 had taken off normally towards Los Angeles when the pilots reported irregularities. There was an “unusual noise” near a wing, the pilots said. According to US media, passengers also described noticeable vibrations and loud noises in the cabin. Even the announcements were barely understandable. It was only after the emergency landing that it was discovered that the slide had come loose.
The crew of two pilots and five flight attendants adhered to the safety guidelines in an exemplary manner, praised the airline. After the irregularities, the pilots declared an emergency at the airport in order to be able to return quickly. The plane had already landed again about 80 minutes after takeoff. The passengers were then transported to California on another plane.
According to Delta Airlines, the Boeing 767 that made an emergency landing was immediately taken out of service in order to investigate the causes of the incident. The machine has been in operation since 1990. To answer why the slide came loose, there is still an important piece of the puzzle missing – namely the slide itself. It is not yet clear where the lost piece ended up. The airline promised “all support” in the search.
Manufacturer Boeing should already have an idea of the causes: It is not the first time that a Boeing 767 has lost its slide. At least three other cases have been known in the USA alone since 2016. Last year, one crashed into a house in Chicago and damaged the roof. But there were no injuries.
The incident still comes at an unfortunate time for Boeing. The aircraft manufacturer has to answer for a series of breakdowns, especially its former prestige model Boeing 737 Max that repeatedly makes headlines. After an emergency door came loose in mid-flight in January, US authorities removed 170 of the model’s aircraft from service. Many passengers are now trying to avoid the manufacturer’s aircraft. Incidents like the current one certainly don’t help this perception – even if they ultimately caused no harm.
Sources: NPR, New York Times, ABC
