On 28th June 2023, a Delta Air Lines Boeing 717 landed without its nose gear at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, leaving the aircraft in a disabled state on the runway.
The Boeing 717 with registration N955AT was performing flight DL1092 from Atlanta with 96 passengers and five crew members. However, the aircraft’s landing gear malfunctioned as the crew prepared for landing on runway 36L.
As a result, the crew performed a go-around and made a pass over the runway at about 900 feet before proceeding to land twelve minutes later. Flight DL1092 safely landed with its nose gear in the ‘up’ position, and came to a safe stop on the runway. Delta officials confirmed that the crew members were aware of the landing gear malfunction as they prepared for a touchdown, prompting the decision to climb once again.
Footage shared on the internet shows the aircraft leaning forward onto its nose as emergency service vehicles scrambled to help passengers and crew members.
Upon landing, all passengers and crew members were evacuated via slides. No one was injured in the incident.
“Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and people. While this is a rare occurrence, Delta flight crews train extensively to safely manage through many scenarios and flight 1092 landed safely without reported injuries.”
Delta Air Lines
“Our next focus is to take care of our customers on this flight, including retrieving their bags and seeing them to their final destinations safely. We apologize to our customers for what they experienced,” the statement continued.
Following the incident, the runway was closed until the aircraft could be relocated to a safer location. This temporary closure caused delays and cancellations at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, affecting numerous flights.
As many as 72 delays and 21 cancellations were reported at Charlotte Douglas following the incident. Passengers were advised to check the status of their flights with their respective airlines before heading to the airport.
“The crew told us there was an issue with the landing gear and instructed us to go over safety information. We came in low once and then climbed again. The second time had us brace but the landing was smooth. No jarring or even loud noises,” one of the passengers on board told Channel 9.
‘We were in the back so that may have been why. Everyone evacuated via slides. No injuries as far as I know. Crew and pilots were wonderful!’
An investigation into the incident has been launched to identify the contributing factors.
Feature Image via Chris Skotarczak