Just hours before a deadly crash in Asia, an Air Canada Express flight suffered a ‘suspected landing gear issue’ at Halifax Stanfield International Airport in Canada.
The landing didn’t result in any injuries.
Flight AC2259, which arrived from St. John’s, Newfoundland was unable to taxi to the terminal and passenger deplaned and took a bus, an Air Canada spokesperson said.
The flight was operated by regional partner PAL Airlines.
The De Havilland DHC-8-402 plane was carrying 73 passengers.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada said the plane skidded along the runway and passengers witnessed flames.
“The plane shook quite a bit and we started seeing fire on the left side of the plane and smoke started coming in the windows,” passenger Nikki Valentine told CBC.
Hours later a Jeju Air flight crash-landed at Muan International Airport in South Korea, killing 179 people.
Aviation experts say landing gear malfunction is likely a factor in the crash.
The Halifax International Airport Authority said another runway was reopened less than two hours later and several flights were diverted while some departures were canceled.
A Transportation Safety Board of Canada investigation is underway.
