A United Airlines flight narrowly avoided disaster at Orlando International Airport on Sunday after a “mechanical failure” during landing. Flight UA2323, arriving from Chicago's O'Hare shortly after noon, was carrying 200 passengers and six crew members.
Videos on social media captured the scary landing. Footage showed the aircraft's rear landing gear making initial contact with the runway before the plane bounced violently and wiggled from side to side.
Seconds later, one of the nose wheels, part of the aircraft's front landing gear, was seen detaching completely and rolling away across the runway. The aircraft appeared momentarily unbalanced as pilots struggled to stabilise it and bring it to a controlled stop.
This happened in full view of travellers at the airport.
The airline confirmed that no injuries or casualties were reported despite the frightening landing. Passengers were unable to disembark at the gate. Instead, they were evacuated directly onto the taxiway and transported to the terminal via shuttle buses, as per Air Live.
United Airlines said the aircraft suffered a “mechanical issue” but did not provide further details on the exact cause. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a temporary ground stop at Orlando International Airport to allow emergency crews to secure the aircraft and clear debris from the runway. The ground stop was later downgraded to a ground delay, as per Fox News.
Weather appears to have played a significant role. Reports indicated that conditions during the landing were poor, with heavy rain, cold temperatures, and strong winds. Orlando International Airport recorded gusts of around 87 kmph, while the nearby Orlando Executive Airport reported wind speeds reaching up to 90 kmph.
The runway blockage caused a ripple effect of delays for flights arriving at and departing from Orlando, one of Florida's busiest airports, according to the FAA's National Airspace System Status database. Operations gradually returned to normal later in the evening.
The aircraft involved has been removed from service for a comprehensive maintenance inspection.
