American Eagle ERJ Skids Off Freeport Runway

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • An American Eagle ERJ-145LR had a landing gear malfunction at Freeport-Grand Bahama International Airport.
  • The plane landed on its belly, spinning nearly 180 degrees after touching down.
  • All 28 people on board (25 passengers, 3 crew) escaped without injury.
  • American Eagle suspended operations following the incident.
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An American Eagle ERJ-145LR ended up on the grass at Freeport-Grand Bahama International Airport on Saturday after an apparent landing gear issue. None of the 25 passengers and three crew were hurt but the Embraer was left on its belly with the nosegear deployed. The aircraft was landing after a flight from Miami just before noon when the incident occurred. American Eagle suspended operations after the accident.

Photos from the scene show skid marks from the main gear for the length of the aircraft’s time on the runway. When it hit the turf, it spun almost 180 degrees, collapsing the gear.

Russ Niles

Russ Niles is Editor-in-Chief of AVweb. He has been a pilot for 30 years and joined AVweb 22 years ago. He and his wife Marni live in southern British Columbia where they also operate a small winery.
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