JUNE 5, 2015
WINDSOR LOCKS, CONN. (WTNH)
A plane heading from Newark to Bradley Airport made an
emergency landing after a small fire broke out in the cockpit on Friday
afternoon, according to state police.
CommutAir Flight 4776, operating as United Express, had
taken off from Newark, New Jersey with 36 passengers and three crew members on
board.
Shawn Morris, of New Haven, said people onboard started to
smell smoke about 10 minutes before landing. The airline reported the fire at
about 12:15 p.m. as it approached Windsor Locks.
“We heard that we were going to make an emergency landing,
so that’s kind of when the panic started setting in in a lot of people,” Morris
said. "They told us what to do. They told us to put our heads down. We
made a very smooth landing actually. It worked out OK.”
State police said the plane is a Dash 8 turboprop aircraft
and the small fire caused a smoke condition, but everyone got off the aircraft
and is safe. The pilots were able to put out the fire.
Passengers and crew were safely evacuated from the plane and
"were bussed to the terminal," according to CommutAir.
“We are very thankful for the quick response of our flight
crew to ensure the safety of our passengers - the aircraft has been removed
from service and will undergo a thorough maintenance evaluation," the
airline said in a statement.
Several Connecticut residents, including Adam Loubier, of
Hebron, were among the 36 passengers on board, and some did what they could to
help.
"I was the first one out the window, so I just was
helping people out," he said.
Tasaya Northover, of Waterbury, commended the flight
attendants for staying calm and explaining exactly what the passengers needed
to do.
"They had to open up the exit doors on the sides of the
airplane and we had to kind of jump out the window, but there were two guys at
the bottom catching us,” she said.
United Airlines released a statement about what happened.
“At approximately 12:15 p.m. CommutAir flight 4776,
operating as United Express, reported a fire in the cockpit while on approach
into Hartford. The crew quickly extinguished the fire and landed safely.
Passengers and crew safely evacuated the aircraft and were bussed to the
terminal,” a statement from United Airlines said.
Officials from the Connecticut Airport Authority said a
plane with a mechanical incident landed safely at Bradley and the Airport is
open.
“We are very thankful for the quick response of our flight
crew to ensure the safety of our passengers - the aircraft has been removed
from service and will undergo a thorough maintenance evaluation,” United said
in a statement.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the airline are
invesigating the incident and and plane is being examined.
It is unclear what
may have caused the fire.
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Date:
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05-JUN-2015
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Time:
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12:15
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Type:
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de Havilland Dash 8-200
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Owner/operator:
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Commutair
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Registration:
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C/n / msn:
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|
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Fatalities:
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Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 39
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Other fatalities:
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0
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Airplane damage:
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Unknown
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Location:
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Bradley International Airport (KBDL), Windsor Locks,
Connecticut -
United
States of America |
|
Phase:
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Approach
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Nature:
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Domestic Scheduled Passenger
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Departure airport:
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Newark Liberty Intl (KEWR)
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Destination airport:
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Bradley Intl (KBDL)
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Narrative:
A Commutair de Havilland Dash 8-200 operating as Flight 4776 from Newark Liberty International Airport experienced an inflight fire in the cockpit while on approach to Bradley International Airport (KBDL), Windsor Locks, Connecticut. The airplane sustained unreported damage and the were no reported injuries to the three crew and thirty-six passengers onboard.
A Commutair de Havilland Dash 8-200 operating as Flight 4776 from Newark Liberty International Airport experienced an inflight fire in the cockpit while on approach to Bradley International Airport (KBDL), Windsor Locks, Connecticut. The airplane sustained unreported damage and the were no reported injuries to the three crew and thirty-six passengers onboard.
Sources:
http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=176668
http://wtnh.com/2015/06/05/plane-makes-emergency-landing-at-bradley-airport/
http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/Plane-Makes-Emergency-Landing-at-Bradley-306287471.html