Tourists are always looking for adventure when they visit Belize, but passengers on Delta airlines flying from Atlanta to Belize got more than they bargained for today when their aircraft experienced mechanical difficulty. Passengers were told they may need to huddle over in the event of a crash landing. It didn't happen, but just the possibility of it was enough to leave the passengers shaken.
Monica Bodden was at the airport:
Monica Bodden, Reporting
This Delta Canadair Regional Jet 900 arriving from Atlanta into Belize had to make a distress landing at the Phillip Goldson International Airport.
Tim Reeves - Passenger
"I guess we were like on our last probably the final approach because they had already announced the initial approach. The just start to go around in the air flying around in circles and then the flight attendant came through and said
everybody read your things for a crash landing. So we all got the pamphlet out and look them over and the pilot came on after about 5 minutes of nothing and said ok there are 3 hydraulics systems on the plane and the main one has failed. That operates everything on the plane, of course. He said that the backup seemed to be fine and they were going to go ahead and try to land and he would get back to us. The flight attendant ran back through the plane and said that check for a crash landing and he showed everybody the position; 1 of 4 positions you get in. We did that then the pilot came back on and said ok if I tell you prepare for crash landing get in position real quick because it will be real fast."
At about 11 o'clock this morning Civil Aviation's air traffic services received information from the aircraft that they were experiencing mechanical difficulties.
Brian Dominguez - Air Safety Inspector
"Initial indications are that the pilot for some reason was experiencing hydraulic problems. There are the appropriate mechanical repair personnel here, this particular company has maintenance coverage with Premiere I believe and they are the ones doing that now. Like I said it was an uneventful landing and thereby does not constitute any investigations, per se."
For the passengers, the very real prospect of a crash landing - and subsequent mass casualties was enough to panic everyone
Tim Reeves - Passenger
"We were all scared to death at first when he said that. I fly probably 3 weeks out of the month, over the last 13 years, I am kind of used to it, I never had anything like that happen, so it was frightening."
Monica Bodden
"Now when they said that there might be a crash landing. What was the first thing going through your mind?"
Shirley Brown - Passenger
"I thought, 'Oh Lord help me. Help all of us.' I said a prayer that it wouldn't happen."
Monica Bodden
"Right there and then when you heard to be prepare for something like that. What was the first thing that flashed through your mind?"
Eleanor Arnold - Passenger
"Pray. But also to follow instructions and cope along with the crew and then belief for the best and everything was safe and everything went well."
Monica Bodden
"What was the mood inside the plane? And what was the reaction from some of the passengers?"
Eleanor Arnold - Passenger
"Some of them wanted more information. Some of them were a little bit afraid but when the plane lands everybody just applauded the pilot that he did a good job."
Shirley Brown - Passenger
"It was kind of scary when the stewardess announced that the pilot was having a problem and they wanted us to know what we were supposed to do. She told us, she was very nice and she said to look at the one where you brace yourself and you hold yourself and you bend down and she said that when the pilot says that, do it right away."
Marie Mejia - Passenger
"I was nervous, the first thing I grab was my safety tips and started to go through it. The flight attendants were very supportive because they gave us good instructions and they were able for us to get very secure."
Monica Bodden
"Was it scary? Was it your first experience you encountered something like this?"
Marie Mejia - Passenger
"It was very scary. For several times I've been going to the states and first time something like this happened so I wonder to myself if this was going to be the last of it."
Shirley Brown - Passenger
"It was very scary."
Monica Bodden
"What was the mood inside the plane?"
Shirley Brown - Passenger
"Well it was quite, very quite at first. And then of course when we started coming down everybody clapped because we did make a safe landing. We didn't have to crash."
And despite the in-flight fright, in the end it was an uneventful landing and just a few minutes off schedule, meaning that for those visiting Belize - before their vacation even starts - they have one heck of a story to take back home. As noted in the story, there is no need for an investigation by Belize's Civil Aviation Department.
