Airlines

Southwest plane slides to edge of taxiway in Baltimore airport; FAA investigating

Key Points
  • No injuries were reported.
  • The Boeing 737 was bound for Montego Bay, Jamaica.
  • The FAA is investigating the incident.
Southwest plane slides off runway in Baltimore
VIDEO0:4400:44
Southwest plane slides off runway in Baltimore

A Southwest Airlines plane nearly slid off a taxiway before departure at Baltimore-Washington International airport on Wednesday morning, the airline said. No injuries were reported, according to the airport and the airline.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it is investigating the incident.

The Boeing 737, which was bound for Montego Bay, Jamaica, "traveled to the edge, but did not exit, the taxiway prior to departure," Southwest said in a statement.

A Southwest Airlines plane skidded off the runway at BWI Airport on Feb. 7th, 2018.
Photo: Liz Chadderdon

The 143 passengers and six crew members aboard Flight 906 exited the plane safely by stairs and were sent to the airport terminal by bus, Southwest said, adding that they would be put on another plane to Montego Bay.

Skids or slides off runways and taxiways are the most common type of accident in commercial air travel, according to the International Air Transport Association, which represents most of the world's airlines. In 2016, runway and taxiway excursions accounted for about a fifth of total accidents involving commercial aircraft.

In a harrowing incident last month, a Pegasus Airlines plane in Turkey slid off a runway and fell partway down a cliff over the Black Sea, before getting stuck in the mud.

Berkshire Hathaway Live Event