PAL flight bound for Manila makes emergency landing in Los Angeles
Published Nov 22, 2019 12:00 am
By Andrea Aro and Ariel Fernandez
A Philippine Airlines flight bound for Manila made an emergency landing in Los Angeles a few minutes after take-off due to a reported mechanical problem on Friday.
A Philippine Airlines flight bound for Manila made an emergency landing in Los Angeles a few minutes after take-off due to a reported mechanical problem on Friday. (Screenshot from the video of Andrew Blake Ames via Reuters / MANILA BULLETIN)
PR 113 pilots made a distress call on a possible engine failure on the Boeing 777, the Los Angeles International Airport said. A witness on the ground described “bursts of flames” coming out of an engine.
PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said all 347 passengers and 18 crew members are safe and were able to disembark from the airplane using regular airstairs.
“Our Los Angeles Airport Team has provided assistance to passengers on their flight rebookings,” she added.
Villaluna said Captain Tristan Simeon and the flight crew decided to turn back the aircraft and return to Los Angeles airport and make a precautionary emergency landing. The aircraft landed at 12 noon local time.
“We affirm that safety is our top priority and that Philippine Airlines is fully cooperating with the concerned airport and aviation authorities,” Villaluna said.
“We saw bursts of flames, little flames shooting out from the engine,” said Andrew Ames, a 36-year-old fitness professional in Los Angeles, who watched as the plane ascended over the ocean after takeoff. “It almost looked like back fire flames from a motorcycle or car.”
“I had never seen a plane spew flames repeatedly. Then it stopped. As soon as it stopped, I saw the plane bank left, like it was heading back to the airport,” Ames said.
While the cause of the apparent engine failure was not immediately clear, it comes as Boeing faces intense scrutiny over twin deadly crashes involving its 737 MAX single-aisle jetliner. The 737 MAX has been grounded worldwide since March. (With reports from Reuters)
A Philippine Airlines flight bound for Manila made an emergency landing in Los Angeles a few minutes after take-off due to a reported mechanical problem on Friday. (Screenshot from the video of Andrew Blake Ames via Reuters / MANILA BULLETIN)
PR 113 pilots made a distress call on a possible engine failure on the Boeing 777, the Los Angeles International Airport said. A witness on the ground described “bursts of flames” coming out of an engine.
PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said all 347 passengers and 18 crew members are safe and were able to disembark from the airplane using regular airstairs.
“Our Los Angeles Airport Team has provided assistance to passengers on their flight rebookings,” she added.
Villaluna said Captain Tristan Simeon and the flight crew decided to turn back the aircraft and return to Los Angeles airport and make a precautionary emergency landing. The aircraft landed at 12 noon local time.
“We affirm that safety is our top priority and that Philippine Airlines is fully cooperating with the concerned airport and aviation authorities,” Villaluna said.
“We saw bursts of flames, little flames shooting out from the engine,” said Andrew Ames, a 36-year-old fitness professional in Los Angeles, who watched as the plane ascended over the ocean after takeoff. “It almost looked like back fire flames from a motorcycle or car.”
“I had never seen a plane spew flames repeatedly. Then it stopped. As soon as it stopped, I saw the plane bank left, like it was heading back to the airport,” Ames said.
While the cause of the apparent engine failure was not immediately clear, it comes as Boeing faces intense scrutiny over twin deadly crashes involving its 737 MAX single-aisle jetliner. The 737 MAX has been grounded worldwide since March. (With reports from Reuters)