A Delta plane carrying 96 passengers, two pilots and three flight attendants departed from Atlanta but landed turbulently without the front landing gear properly deployed.
Fortunately, there were no reported injuries. A video taken by a passenger inside the plane showed all the passengers holding the seats in front of them and resting their heads against them in a nervous silence while bracing for impact.
The man taking the video commented that the landing “was not bad at all” after the plane scraped and skidded its way to a halt.
Passenger Gary Gibbs expressed his relief and gratitude via Twitter, saying, “So Thankful for God’s protection today. Kudos to the skilled pilots and crew for their quick response and ensuring the safety of 96 passengers on board.” He also posted footage of the stunned passengers walking away from the plane, amazed by the aircraft’s nose-down positioning.
Delta officials stated that nose gear malfunctions are rare and that “nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and people.” They further commented that “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.”
After the passengers were taken to the terminal, airport officials closed down the runway and worked to remove the plane.