Six people were hospitalized for minor injuries after an American Airlines jetliner experienced a “hard landing” at Kahului Airport in Maui, Hawaii. The incident occurred on Saturday, and both Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and airline officials have confirmed the details.
The Hard Landing Incident
According to the FAA, the American Airlines Airbus A320 encountered a hard landing on the airport runway at around 2 p.m. local time. The injuries included one passenger and five flight attendants, who were all released after receiving appropriate medical care. American Airlines provided a separate statement, mentioning that Flight 271 departed from Los Angeles International Airport and faced an issue upon landing in Maui. However, the aircraft managed to taxi to the gate and all customers disembarked normally.
Weather Conditions and Flight Details
At the time of the incident, Maui experienced partly cloudy and windy weather with a temperature of approximately 80 degrees, as per the National Weather Service data. The aircraft carried a total of 167 customers and seven crew members. After the event, the aircraft was taken out of service for inspection, ensuring passenger safety remains paramount.
FAA Investigation Underway
As with any aviation incident, the FAA is currently investigating the cause of the hard landing. Their assessment will shed light on the factors contributing to the incident and highlight any necessary improvements or corrective measures.
Flight Schedule and Departure Delay
According to the Maui airport, the flight was initially scheduled to arrive at 12:47 p.m., almost 79 minutes earlier than its actual arrival time. The aircraft spent over an hour taxiing at LAX before taking off, as reported by Kahului information and flight-tracking website FlightAware. The reason for this extended time on the ground is yet unknown and it’s unclear whether it had any relation to the subsequent hard landing during arrival.