Halifax Stanfield International Airport experienced a dramatic closure on Saturday night after Air Canada Flight 2259, operated by PAL Airlines, skidded off the runway and partially caught fire. The incident occurred during landing at around 9:30 p.m. AT.
The aircraft, arriving from St. John’s, encountered a landing gear failure, which caused one tire to malfunction. Passenger Nikki Valentine described the terrifying ordeal, recalling how the plane tilted to the left, its wing scraping the pavement while fire and smoke became visible.
“The plane shook quite a bit, and we started seeing fire on the left side of the plane, and smoke started coming in the windows,” Valentine told CBC.
All 73 passengers and crew were evacuated within minutes, though minor injuries were reported by the Nova Scotia RCMP. Air Canada spokesperson Peter Fitzpatrick confirmed the issue was linked to the plane’s landing gear.
The airport was shut down for 90 minutes, causing delays, cancellations, and four flight diversions. While one runway has since reopened, the affected aircraft remains on the closed runway.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has dispatched a team to investigate the cause of the accident involving the de Havilland DHC-8-402. Updates are anticipated as the inquiry progresses.