Asia-Pacific

Jet Blue airplane makes hard landing,15 injured

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-08-27 07:58

LOS ANGELES -?Fifteen people suffered minor injuries when a Jet Blue airplane made a hard landing at Sacramento International Airport in Northern California on Thursday, authorities said.

Police take one of the injured to hospital at Sacramento International Airport in Northern California on August 26, 2010. [Photo/Xinhua]

The landing forced the evacuation of 87 passengers and five crew members via inflatable slides, Airport spokeswoman Gina Swankie said.

The passengers were then loaded on buses and waited on the tarmac to go to a terminal, Swankie said.

"A Jet Blue spokesman told me that the flight reported an issue with the brakes," Swankie said. "The crew elected to evacuate the aircraft in an abundance of caution."

The flight blew two tires while making the landing, said Swankie.

The tires caught fire, Swankie said, but he could not confirm reports that a fire was also reported on the plane.

Flight 262, which was from Long Beach, Southern California, was scheduled to arrive at 12:37 pm.