A US Airways flight was delayed after soaring temperatures caused it to stick to the tarmac.
A tow vehicle tried to pull the 50-seat regional jet leaving from Reagan National Airport in Washington but the plane wouldn’t budge, reports the Washington Post.
"It was apparently a soft spot caused by the heat," airline spokeswoman Michelle Mohr said, and the airplane "wouldn’t move".
Passengers got back on the plane after a three hour delay when a larger tow vehicle managed to free it from the tarmac.
Washington and other parts of the US have seen a string of daily temperatures above 95 degrees in the last few days.
At least 42 people have died in incidents related to the heatwave from the Midwest to the East Coast of the US, including two people killed when a train derailed in Chicago.
The US National Weather Service, which had issued excessive heat warnings for several states, says the heat is easing. It now forecasts a cold front.
By Diane Evans
