Passengers evacuate Delta plane after tire pops during landing, witnesses say

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — Passengers were evacuated from a Delta flight at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Wednesday afternoon.

Witnesses say Delta flight 1437 from Richmond, Virginia to Atlanta popped a tire as it made a hard landing. They say the pilot made an abrupt brake and they skidded down the runway.

Photos of the plane show one tire completely flattened on the runway.

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The passengers were evacuated from the plane down the chutes and were then bussed to the terminal.

Delta officials say 190 customers were on board the plane and they have received at least one report of an injury. It’s unclear what condition that person is in.

Video from Channel 2 Action News’ airport cam shows emergency crews spraying water onto the plane.

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Airport officials say the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department and airport emergency operations responded to “an incident involving an aircraft” as it arrived on Wednesday afternoon.

They say the plane landed safely and passengers “self-evacuated.”

A Delta spokesperson released a statement that read:

“We appreciate the efforts of our flight crew and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport first responders to manage through the safe landing of flight 1437 at our hub this afternoon. Initial reports indicate that one of the aircraft’s tires blew upon landing and components of the landing gear were hot. Customers evacuated via emergency slides and are being moved to the terminal via bus. We apologize to each for this experience – nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and crew.”

Delta says they are focused on making sure customers receive all of their belongings from the airplane. They also say they will be conducting their own review of the flight.

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Video shows passengers evacuate from Delta plane after tire pops during landing, witnesses say

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