American Airlines Passengers Jump From Plane’s Wing After Emergency Landing
Passengers on an American Airlines flight ended up jumping from the plane’s wing after an emergency landing in St. Louis on Saturday, October 17. The flight had turned around after oxygen masks dropped and passengers reported haze and an odor inside the cabin.
American Eagle Flight 5089 was headed from St. Louis to Philadelphia when the trouble started. According to FlightStats, the PSA Airlines-operated flight was supposed to depart at 6 a.m. but didn’t take off until 8 a.m.
Tessa and Mark Springer of Waterloo, Illinois, were among the passengers on board. They told First Alert 4 that the pilot had announced a problem starting an engine before the plane finally took off.
About 15 minutes into the flight, Mark said the plane suddenly seemed to brake, causing passengers to lurch forward. He said the aircraft then dropped, and the oxygen masks came down from overhead.
Passengers Describe Haze and Emergency Orders
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Mark also recalled hearing a loud buzzing and grinding noise coming from the back of the aircraft. After the oxygen masks dropped, he said haze filled the cabin, and a flight attendant began shouting emergency instructions.
Tessa was thinking about her children back home. She sent them a text that read, “Problem on our plane, love you guys,” because she feared she and her husband weren’t going to make it.
Another passenger, Olivia Clancy, told KSDK that she noticed something seemed wrong with the plane’s performance shortly after takeoff. Passengers also reported smelling smoke inside the aircraft before it returned to the airport.
Passengers Jump From Wing After Emergency Landing
The aircraft made it back to St. Louis Lambert International Airport safely, but passengers weren’t getting off at a regular gate. The Springers said they had to climb out onto the wing and jump to the ground, where other travelers helped catch them.
Tessa took photos of passengers standing beside the runway as they waited for transportation back to the terminal. Clancy said passengers were told to run after getting off the aircraft.
A photo shared on Reddit showed an airplane on the tarmac with emergency vehicles nearby. The person who posted it said passengers had been evacuated and taken back to the terminal.
American Airlines Removes Plane From Service
American Airlines confirmed that the crew returned to St. Louis after an odor was reported on board. The airline said the aircraft was taken out of service for inspection by its maintenance team and thanked its employees for their professionalism.
Clancy said she later received an apology email from American Airlines offering four $12 airport food vouchers for her party. She questioned why the plane had been cleared for takeoff after passengers were told about the earlier engine problem.
American Airlines did not identify the source of the odor in its statement or confirm whether it was connected to the issue reported before departure.
