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Passengers boarding a Spirit Airlines flight on Thursday were tense hours, according to airport officials, as they had to make an emergency landing at Detroit Metro Airport due to mechanical problems.
According to a passenger who spoke to Free Press, the plane was turning over a nuclear power plant in Monroe County when the pilot announced that the landing gear was not down and told everyone to prepare for an emergency landing. rice field.
“When I heard’Brace’, I started crying. Someone was vomiting,” recalls 66-year-old Cindy Greaves, who was visiting a family in Michigan from Fort Myers, Florida to Detroit. .. “To be honest with God, I’ve never been so scared in my lifetime.”
No one was injured and Flight 1150 from Fort Myers landed safely, but it was a traumatic experience for Greaves to call the children from the plane and explain what was happening.
“I think’I’ll die’,” she recalled.
Looking out of the plane, Mr. Greaves said he noticed something was wrong and that it was orbiting over the cyclone at the Fermi nuclear power plant. She said they were supposed to land in eight minutes, but the plane continued to orbit the same area.
At first she suspected that there was no place to land on the tarmac, so the pilot was turning until space was available, Greaves said.
However, after orbiting the third nuclear tower, the wings began to sink. And the pilot came to the intercom.
“Our landing gear isn’t down. I’ve tried everything but it’s not working, so I need to prepare for an emergency landing,” Greaves recalled the pilot. rice field. “Everyone has just gone, right?”
Then she remembered what the pilot said: “I’m going to draw a little more circle. I’m trying to burn fuel.”
Greaves were afraid of the worst. Passengers send text messages and start calling their loved ones. She did the same. She caught her son.
“My son tracked (flying) and said,’You’re spinning around … and you’re a little low,'” she recalled.
As the plane goes around, flight attendants go up and down the aisle, “when the pilot shouts” brace, “you put your arms on your head, grab the seat in front, and keep your head on your knees. “Greeve remembered what the flight attendant said before repeating.” Don’t look up. Don’t look up. Don’t look up. “
Mr. Greaves said the plane had landed on asphalt and part of the grass with his head pushed into his knees, and that he could see FedEx trucks and fire trucks on the ground. They weren’t on the tarmac.
Passengers were unloaded from the plane at 1:45 pm — an hour longer than expected, but “no one complained,” Greaves said, saying everyone was safe and reassured. rice field.
The woman sitting next to me started giving out heart candies to everyone.
“There was a very nice bond,” Greaves said. “The woman next to me was an absolute saint. She faced a crisis. She hugged me and said,” Take a deep breath and pray. Relax. ” “
“I told her,’I don’t want to die today,'” Greaves recalled.
Flight 1150 was scheduled to depart Fort Myers, Florida at 9:31 am on Thursday and arrive at the Detroit Metro at 12:47 pm. The plane landed at 1:53 pm.
According to Erica Donelson, a spokesman for Wayne County Airport Authority, the airport fire department responded to the scene because of a possible mechanical problem with the plane. She said the aircraft had landed safely.
Spirit Airlines issued this statement to the free press on Thursday at 4:30 pm.
“Spirit Airlines flight 1150 from Fort Myers to Detroit landed safely on DTW after suspected mechanical problems, and guests disembarked as usual. Safety is a top priority. Yes, the plane will be removed from service and inspected by the maintenance department. “
opinion: The airline has received billions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies. Now they can’t fly on time.
more: American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines expect to return to profitability this year
According to airsafe.com, Spirit Airlines has been in operation for 30 years and has never had a plane crash.
Tresa Baldas: [email protected]
This article was originally published in Detroit Free Press: Spirit Airlines makes an emergency landing at Detroit Metro Airport
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