FedEx plane catches fire on runway in Florida
FORT LAUDERDALE — The landing gear collapsed on a FedEx plane, leading to it catching fire at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Friday afternoon, the Federal Aviation Administration has confirmed.
Both pilots escaped from aircraft, the FAA said in a statement to CBS News. Both pilots are safe, FedEx said. The National Transportation Safety Board will be sending a team of five people to investigate the incident, CBS News’ Kris Van Cleave reports.
Officials with the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue were able to put out the heavy flames by around 6:00 p.m., CBS Miami reports. The plane was rolling along the runway after arriving from Memphis, Tennessee.
The plane could be seen on its belly along the runway as firefighters hosed it down. Flames destroyed one of the aircraft’s wings, including an engine.
Air traffic controllers in Fort Lauderdale issued a ground stop, and no flights were allowed to leave. The airport’s south runway reopened about 7 p.m., but the north runway remained closed for investigation.