AP and CNN reported Sunday that a passenger plane in Canada caught fire during landing due to a suspected landing gear malfunction. Fortunately, no injuries were reported among the 73 passengers and crew on board.
The incident occurred on PAL Airlines flight AC2259, which had departed from St. John’s, Newfoundland, and was approaching Halifax Stanfield International Airport in Nova Scotia around 9:30 p.m. on Saturday. As the plane descended, it encountered a mechanical issue, likely linked to the landing gear, which caused sparks and ignited a fire, creating a dangerous situation. Fortunately, all 73 people aboard were unharmed.
The aircraft stopped on the runway, tilting to one side. Passengers and crew were swiftly evacuated to safety via bus, and no casualties were reported.
Air Canada, a partner airline of PAL, confirmed that the aircraft involved was a twin-engine De Havilland DHC-8-402 (Bombardier Q400) and stated that the mechanical failure during landing was believed to be related to the landing gear.
In the incident’s immediate aftermath, Halifax Stanfield International Airport temporarily suspended all flights. However, after approximately 90 minutes, the airport resumed operations with one active runway.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has announced it will investigate the incident thoroughly to determine the cause of the malfunction.
Passenger Nikki Valentine, who was on board the flight, recounted her experience. She described significant turbulence during landing, flames emerging from the aircraft’s left side, and smoke filling the cabin as it entered through the windows.