ORLANDO, Fla. (WFLA) – Passengers on a Frontier Airlines flight from Orlando to Puerto Rico were scared last month when the wheels broke and struck one of the aircraft’s engines.
“For a few minutes I thought this was the end of our story here,” one passenger wrote after posting a video of the horrifying incident on social media.
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The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released a preliminary report on the incident this week, saying that the landing gear wheels and tires were broken as the plane landed at San Juan on April 15th.
According to the NTSB, the captain reported hearing a big slap and noticed that the aircraft monitor shows an engine failure.
The plane quickly returned into the air, formed a circle and came down for a second attempt at Luis Munos Marine International Airport.
It was a rough landing, but passengers applauded and eventually landed safely, wiping away tears. Stairs got caught up in the aircraft to help passengers and buses were placed at the terminal.
Investigators later reported finding metal fragments in the wheels of the plane’s left engine, and reported that damage was noticeable to the fan blades and other areas.
The incident is under investigation. No injuries have been reported.
