Dangerous moments at the airport. Airbus A321 was taken for examination
4:36 PM EDT, October 25, 2023
Travelers were disembarking from the plane at JFK airport in New York when suddenly the large Airbus A321 tilted back. The nose of the machine was momentarily high above the ground.
As reported by the New York Post, an unusual event occurred on Sunday, October 23rd. A JetBlue airplane, flying from Bridgetown in Barbados, landed at a New York airport around 8 PM Eastern Time.
The nose of the airplane momentarily lifted high
When the passengers were disembarking, the plane suddenly tilted back so much that its tail touched the ground of the airport.
- Upon arriving at the gate, due to changes in weight and balance during disembarking, the tail of the plane tilted backward, causing the front of the plane to lift and eventually return down - JetBlue spokesperson, Derek Dombrowski, reported.
Fortunately, none of the passengers were harmed in the incident, although some were greatly disoriented. The plane has been temporarily out of use, and specialists will investigate what led to this dangerous situation.
- Safety is JetBlue's top priority. We are analyzing this incident and the airplane has been withdrawn from service for inspection - explained Dombrowski. The airplane's tilt also did not cause any disturbances to JFK Airport's operations.
Such situations occur extremely rarely
Before every flight, pilots calculate the weight and balance of the airplane to determine the center of gravity and ensure proper performance. The location of the center of gravity is influenced by the total weight of the passengers and other content, as well as how they are distributed.
Sometimes, passengers are asked to change seats before the flight to properly balance the plane. However, this tipping of the plane at the gate is extremely rare.