Wheel falls off plane seconds after takeoff from Montreal
An Air Canada Express flight from Montreal to Saguenay, Que., was forced to turn around Friday after a technical issue made one of its wheels fall off seconds after takeoff.
In a statement, Jazz Aviation LP, a company that operates flights for Air Canada, said one of the two wheels on the left main landing gear fell off just after the plane went airborne.
The incident was captured on video by a passenger.
In the footage, flames are seen coming from the wheel prior to takeoff. One passenger comments that the wheel appears to be fine, before it promptly falls off the landing gear.
Another passenger can be heard saying: "It fell, it fell!"
The plane was carrying 49 passengers and three crew members at the time. No one was injured.
The aircraft circled in the air to consume fuel before returning to Montreal, where it safely landed. Emergency crews had been on the scene as a precaution.
"Our experienced pilots kept complete control of the aircraft. Our pilots are trained to react to such situations and reacted conforming to proper procedure," Jazz Aviation spokesperson Manon Stuart said in an email.
The airplane, a Dash 8-300 model, normally has six wheels: two on each of the three landing gears, located on the left, right, and front of the plane.
Another airplane was dispatched to Montreal to get the passengers to their destination.
The company said it will inspect the plane and do the necessary repairs.
