Southwest Plane Veers Off Runway, Pilot Unfazed
Image credit: ABC
A plane veering off the runway might frazzle most pilots, but not the one flying Southwest Flight 4695.
On a recording obtained by LiveATC.net, the pilot calmly says to the control tower, "Tower, 4695, We just made your day very interesting, at least ours is going to be. We just taxied right off the taxiway and into the grass here. Right off Sierra and before Alpha. And we are gonna have to deplane the people and get something out here to tow the aircraft back on the pavement."
The control tower is equally calm, telling the pilot he will dispatch fire and rescue.
The Tampa-bound Southwest flight veered off the taxiway and into the grass Long Island's MacArthur Airport Thursday morning.
Passengers were forced to evacuate onto the runway. No injuries were reported.
It appears the plane took a misturn in the rain, left the taxiway and came to a stop in the mud. The plane appeared to be tilting to the side, ABC affiliate WABC reported. Some 134 passengers were on the 737.
According to the airline's web site, flight 4695 was scheduled to depart at 6:15 a.m. and arrive in Tampa at 9:15 a.m. The web site has changed the departure time to 11:55 a.m. and has the flight listed as "boarding."