Back-To-Back Emergency Landings At DFW Airport
DFW AIRPORT (CBSDFW.COM) - American Airlines reported back-to-back emergency landings at DFW International Airport early Monday as flights to Buenos Aires and Fresno were forced to return because of mechanical problems.
In the first instance, an American Airlines jumbo jet three hours into its flight to Buenos Aires declared an in-flight emergency after the pilot reported indications of a pressurization problem.
Flight 997, a Boeing 777-200 aircraft with 223 passengers and a crew of 14 , left DFW International Airport at 7:58 p.m. and returned at 12:23 a.m., said American Airlines spokesperson Laura Masvidal. There were no injuries.
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On the second flight, American Airlines tells CBS News that a flight from DFW to Fresno had to return to the airport because of mechanical issues. Flight 1359 with 140 passengers on board and a crew of five landed just minutes after the Buenos Aires flight. That plane also landed without incident. No one was hurt.
A CBS 11 News photographer who witnessed the Buenos Aires flight as it landed said that the plane rolled out normally, accompanied by emergency vehicles.
Those passengers were taken to Terminal D, the international terminal at DFW Airport, and were put on buses to go to hotels for the night.
People who were on board told CBSDFW.COM that the plane had nearly reached Cancun when the pilot came on the intercom to tell them about the problem.
The aircraft looped around and made several circles over the Gulf of Mexico to burn up fuel before eventually returning to DFW, passengers said.
American Airlines provided vouchers for hotel rooms for those on board both flights.
The Buenos Aires flight is scheduled to depart at 9:00 a.m. Monday morning, Masvidal said. There was no immediate word about what flight the Fresno passengers would board.
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