Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Passengers on a flight that made an emergency landing at JFK International Airport after the plane popped a tire finally made it to Salt Lake early this morning.
After a nerve-racking day yesterday, it was then a long night for passengers coming from New York. They finally landed here in Salt Lake about 4 a.m.
Shortly after takeoff, passengers on Flight 141 heard an unusual sound. Passenger Jamie Jarvis said, "It was just like a big loud pop and everything, like, shook and stuff." The plane had a popped tire.
Daniel Rona, on his way back from a trip in Jerusalem, credits the flight crew with keeping everyone calm after the confusion of the loud bang. He says, "There was no feeling of panic. The captain was very clear what the alternatives were."
It wasn't the blown tire that caused anxiety in the air, but the wait that affected the mood of some passengers. Before making the emergency landing, the plane circled in the air for three and a half hours. "The toll on human happiness showed. [There were] a few grumpy people," Rona says.
But eventually the plane landed, and people boarded different flights to make it back home to Utah. The process added lots of hours to a five-hour flight and people arrived tired but still in good spirits.
Passenger David Beale said, "[It was a] 15-hour trip. [I]could have gone to New Zealand."
All of the passengers say this experience won't deter them from traveling on an airplane again. In fact, Rona says after 3 million miles, he'd do it again!
E-mail: kmccord@ksl.com
