Air Canada A320 Crash-Lands at Halifax

[Blackwolf]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/air-canada-ac624-crash-lands-in-halifax-at-least-23-sent-to-hospital-1.3013979​

An early morning incident at Halifax Stanfield International Airport sent 23 people to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries, when an Air Canada flight from Toronto crash-landed on a runway during bad weather. The aircraft, an Airbus A-320, sustained major damage including loosing all three landing gear, loss of the nose, loss of the number two engine, severe damage to the leading edge of the right wing and the loss of the right rear horizontal stabilizer.

Early reports state that the aircraft was possibly too low before touching down and had clipped high-voltage power lines supplying electricity to the airport. The airport lost all power at about the same time of the incident.

The aircraft slid on its belly almost the full length of the runway, with the accumulated snow potentially saving the aircraft from fire as it provided a cushion that minimized sparks. All passengers and crew successfully evacuated the aircraft after the crash using emergency doors and slides.

Passengers reportedly were not brought into the terminal for quite some time, with only the injured being taken by ambulance to hospitals in Halifax and Truro while uninjured people stood for nearly an hour in the snow on the runway watching firefighters secure the aircraft. The reports about being "left out in the cold" were not confirmed or denied by the airport or the airline. It was reported that many of the 132 people on board were not wearing clothing suitable for cold weather, and some were not wearing their shoes at the time of the crash.

Halifax Airport is closed as of this morning both due to the crash and a lack of power servicing the terminal.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I always keep my shoes on. I wear sneakers and if they become uncomfortable during flight, I just loosen the shoestrings.

 

[PRR 60]

The aircraft hit about 250 meters short of Runway 05. It clipped a power line and some of the approach lighting, climbed an embankment to the runway threshold, then slid about 300 meters down the runway before stopping at Taxiway B. 23 injured, none seriously. Reportedly, all have been released from the hospital.

19 year old A320 - a hull loss.

Aviation Herald

TSB Canada

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

I can understand some passengers not having clothing appropriate for the cold weather, but not having shoes on is ridiculous! The flight attendants should ask all passengers to keep their shoes on when flying.

 

[jis]

What nonsense! There is very little reason to keep your shoes on above FL 100. While landing and takeoff I agree it is a good idea to keep ones shoes on. I would hate to keep my shoes on for a fifteen hour flight, and I am sure very few people do at least up front when they curl up in their lie flat seats. I don't even in the back even on two hour flights.

I just follow a simple rule - whenever laptops have to be stowed shoes have to be on

 

[bobnjulie]

On longer flights, I kick my shoes off but I agree with jis: I just follow a simple rule - whenever laptops have to be stowed shoes have to be on

My sister was a flight attendant and told me when I was a young girl that most crashes happen in the first and last 10 minutes of a flight so I am always extra vigilant during that time... always ready to exit. I also always count how many rows front or back the exit rows are.... since you can't trust your eyes if it's dark or smoky.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I take my shoes off during cruise. I have adult sized feet that struggle to fit today's child sized seat pitch. Especially when I'm in transit for 24-hours straight to the other side of the marble. Not sure why that would be a problem. If the aircraft is descending too quickly to don shoes then they're unlikely to help much when you suddenly "land" on whatever is below you. That being said, I do believe that passengers who aren't dressed (or built) for an emergency situation should probably be prevented from trying up the emergency exit rows. I don't agree with the current policy of placing our collective safety in the hands of some scrawny little kid or frail old lady simply because they (or a family member) have obtained status.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Granted, my longest trips have been under 4 hours and loosening the shoelaces satisfies my needs (can't remember if I've slipped my feet out partially or not). My next trip will cross country, so maybe I'll wear the slip ons I had on the train so I can get them on and off easily (hey, a girl's gotta to use the facilities once in a while.

I don't think people need to wear their shoes during cruising either, but should have them on when ascending or descending.