Two pilots on a DHL Boeing 757 escaped injury when the aircraft departed the runway during an emergency landing at Juan Santamaria International Airport in Costa Rica on Thursday. The crew reported hydraulic problems after taking off for Guatemala City. After holding for about an hour, the aircraft returned to the airport and equipment was waiting.
The landing appeared normal but the crew went hard on the brakes at the end of the landing roll. The aircraft veered right and spun about 270 degrees in a ditch at the side of the runway. The fuselage broke in two toward the tail and the aircraft is a write-off. The runway was closed for several hours but reopened about 5 p.m. local time.
