A Delta Air Lines Boeing 767 aircraft encountered a mid-air incident on Friday, April 26, when its emergency slide detached during takeoff from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).
The flight, Delta flight DL-520, was bound for Los Angeles when the crew noticed a vibration and an unusual sound near the right wing shortly after departing JFK.
The pilots declared an emergency and returned to the airport, landing safely around 8:35 AM local time.
Upon inspection, it was discovered that the aircraft’s right-wing emergency exit slide had separated from the plane.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation into the incident.
“Delta flight crews enacted their extensive training and followed procedures to return to JFK,” Delta Air Lines said in a statement, as reported by The New York Times. “We appreciate their professionalism and our customers’ patience for the delay in their travels.”
The aircraft, a 33-year-old Boeing 767-332(ER) registered as N176DN, had 176 passengers and seven crew members on board. No injuries were reported, and the passengers were accommodated on a different flight to Los Angeles.
The airline has removed the affected plane from service for a thorough evaluation, as stated in the reports.
Incidents involving emergency slides detaching from aircraft are not unheard of. In July 2022, an emergency slide from a United Airlines-operated plane crashed into a home near Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, and in 2019, a Delta Air Lines slide fell into a yard in Massachusetts, according to The New York Times.
The FAA’s investigation aims to determine the cause of the incident and ensure the safety of air travel. The aviation authority stated, “The FAA will investigate.”
Source: The New York Times, Business Insider, Simple Flying
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