An investigation is underway after a United Airlines plane’s wing burst into flame just before takeoff from Houston to New York City.
The flight was aborted due to engine trouble, the airline said Sunday, without mentioning the flames and smoke shooting out from the right wing as the plane cruised down the runway, caught on video by a passenger.
“Please, please, get us out of here,” a passenger on United flight 1382 could be heard saying as the incident unfolded starting at about 8:35 a.m. The plane was bound for LaGuardia Airport in New York City.
The airline did just that, evacuating passengers via slides and stairs, United said in a statement.
“Passengers deplaned on the runway via a combination of slides and stairs and were bused to the terminal,” United told the Daily News in its emailed statement. “We lined up a different aircraft to take customers to their destination at 2:00 p.m. CT.”
The Airbus A319 was taking off from George Bush Intercontinental Airport when crew “received an indication about one engine,” United’s statement said.
The plane was carrying 104 passengers and five crew, the airline said.
Passenger Doria Amai Shelton heard a “big popping sound” that jolted her as she dozed, she told NBC News. She slid down an escape ramp to safety.
“The crew of United Airlines Flight 1382 safely aborted its takeoff,” the Federal Aviation Administration said. “Passengers deplaned on the runway and were bused to the terminal.”
The FAA said it would investigate, and referred people to United for any additional information.
There were no injuries, though passenger belied the official bland pronouncements.
“My kids, my family,” is what flew through Roslyn Tenpow’s head as she feared she was about to die, she told ABC News. “I just came back from Guyana visiting my mom.”
She had a hard time boarding the replacement plane.
“I was the last person to get on the plane,” she told ABC News. “I was scared.”
With News Wire Services
