American Airlines plane diverted to Miami after landing gear problem

Friday, February 22, 2008

An American Airlines MD-80, flight 577.
Image: Cubbie_n_Vegas.

An American Airlines (AA) plane made a safe emergency landing after it was diverted to Miami, Florida after the pilot reported that there was a problem with the plane's front landing gear.

The plane, an McDonnell Douglas MD-80/MD-90 flight 862, took off just before 2:00 p.m. (eastern time) from Palm Beach International Airport and was en route to Chicago, Illinois when the problem was reported just after takeoff.

It circled above Miami International Airport to burn off fuel and made a safe and uneventful emergency landing.

The plane made a flyby of the airport's tower where officials could make a visual observation. The front gear appeared to be slightly bent in live footage shown by the Fox News Channel.

None of the 138 people on board the plane were injured.


Sources