When the levee didn't break.

"Grindintosecond" (Grindintosecond)
09/25/2016 at 01:19 • Filed to: Planelopnik, planelopnik history

TACA flight 110 to New Orleans flew into weather containing unforeseen intensity. Both pilots were very good at their job but sometimes that can’t help random weather changes. That weather spat out hail and heavy rain; the hail damaging the engines, which both flamed out. During their glide to lower altitudes they managed to re-start the engines but they didn’t accelerate or run properly. They were a glider and in a bad spot, about to put it in a tributary like Sully did in New York, but at the last minute, they spotted a wide open and flat area next to the water. A perfect spot.

Only a few bruises but everyone was safe. The aircraft was so lightly damaged they decided against dismantling it but instead moved it to a close road, made the minor engine repairs necessary, took down some telephone poles and make a quick takeoff ferry flight to the New Orleans airport, just a minute or two, where further repairs were undertaken. This was 1988, and after repairs and a solid return to service, it was eventually sold. The plane has since been in service at Southwest Airlines for over twenty years.