A Delta Airlines passenger skidded off the runway at LaGuardia airport when landing. The flight coming in on Thursday was from Atlanta, the exact cause behind the flawed landing is being investigated by the airline.
The plane held 125 passengers along with 5 crew members and came dangerously close to the edge of Flushing Bay, which is frozen over. There were no casualties and no severe injuries as a result of the crash. All of the passengers as well as the crew were able to exit the plane via inflatable slides. They were then bussed to a nearby terminal. 24 of the passengers received medical attention for non-life-threatening injuries, however three others were taken in for further medical examination and care.
During its landing the aircraft slid off the 7,003 feet long and 150 feet wide runway and went through a wire fence before stopping on a berm that prevented it from entering the freezing water. The nose of the craft rests directly at the edge of the bay. Allegedly the plane veered sharply to the left after traveling on the runway for more than half of the runway's length.
It is reported that the aircraft is currently leaking fuel heavily from its left side, which was damaged in the landing. The snowy conditions at the airport reduce visibility and could have been a factor in the faulty landing.
LaGuardia Airport is one of three airports that serve the New York City area. After the accident, the airport quickly closed its runways, as protocol states. Officials say the airport will be functional again at 7 p.m EST. This is not the first aircraft accident that the airport has seen. In 1992 a flight taking off from LaGuardia crashed and killed 27 people onboard, the deadliest crash in LaGuardia's recent history.
