19 January 2024 , 15:58
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Passengers were terrified as an American Airlines plane skidded off the snowy runway and onto the grass at Rochester Airport in New York as it landed.
The aircraft - which had 53 people on board - struggled to land amidst New York’s wintery conditions. The plane was flying in from Philadelphia and touched down at around 4 pm yesterday before it slid off the runway.
Emergency services quickly rushed to the scene and thankfully, nobody on board had any injuries. Passengers took to social media to describe what was going on as it happened.
One wrote on Twitter: “My AmericanAir plane just ran off the runway into the grass at @ROCAirport. Happy landings.” Another said that they thought the pilot “took the turn too quickly” after landing, before adding that everyone on board was okay.
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“We just landed and were taxiing back. The pilot while taxiing took the turn too quickly and we skidded into the grass,” they said, before complaining about being stuck inside the plane for so long. “The plane is fine and everyone is ok they’re just not telling us anything about when we are getting off.”
A third person on board chimed in: “I am also one of the passengers on this flight. Very intense landing.” It remains unclear what exactly caused the AA5811 flight to veer off the runway.
The emergency services quickly rushed to the sceneA photograph taken from inside the plane shows one of its wings against the backdrop of a field covered with snow. Meanwhile, a video, also taken from inside the aircraft, shows emergency crews and fire services responding to the scene. Passengers were eventually escorted off the plane by firefighters, after waiting inside the aircraft for nearly an hour.
As passengers were being transported to the terminal by bus, a Rochester Airport spokesman said: “AA Flight 5811, an E-145 Embraer Regional Jet from Philadelphia with 50 passengers and 3 Crew, landed safely on the main runway. While turning onto Taxi Way A2, the jet veered into the grass. The cause is undetermined at this time.”
The fire rescue team safely escorted passengers off the flightAmerican Airlines also spoke about the incident, apologising to their customers about the experience. “After landing safely in Rochester (ROC), American Eagle flight 5811, operated by Piedmont Airlines with service from Philadelphia (PHL) to ROC, exited the taxiway while in transit to the terminal due to snowy airfield conditions,” a spokesperson said in a statement.
“Safety is our top priority and we apologize to our customers for their experience. Everyone on board deplaned safely and is being transported to the terminal by bus,” they added.
New Yorkers are currently being warned to stay at home as the city braces for Storm Indigo, which is predicted to bring 5 inches of snow as well as freezing rain and baltic temperatures. The city has only recently broken its infamous 700-day-long snow drought.