American Airlines Plane Skids Off Runway, Dozens Injured
On December 22, 2009, American Airline officials stated that flight 331 took off from Miami International Airport just before 9 p.m. As the pilot brought the jet in for a landing around 10:30 p.m. in a heavy thunderstorm, the plane skidded on the rain soaked tarmac and overshot the runway. Two people remain hospitalized after an American Airlines flight from Miami skidded off the runway as the pilot attempted to land at Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston, Jamaica.
American Airlines spokesman Tim Smith said during the morning of December 23, 2009, that both of the plane’s engines broke off the wings as designed to do for safety reasons. Smith said the impact also damaged the Boeing 737-800’s land gear and caused two cracks in the fuselage.
Of the 148 passengers, 44 people were taken to area hospitals for injuries, four with serious injuries. Two of the injured passengers were from Miami. The plane’s crew of six also was transported to hospitals as a precaution. All of the injuries have been described as non-life threatening.
American has activated its family assistance CARE Teams to immediately help those affected by this incident.
“The care of our passengers and crew members remains our highest priority, and we are grateful for the professionalism of our crew members who safely evacuated the aircraft,” said Gerard Arpey, Chairman and CEO of American Airlines.
Airline officials will work with the National Transportation Safety Board, the Federal Aviation Administration and Jamaican authorities to determine the cause of the accident.
Anyone who had friends or family on the flight can call the airline at 800-245-0999 for more information.
