Plane Dumps Fuel Over San Francisco Suburbs, Sprays Children
c0lo writes:
At least 60 people, many of them children, were treated for skin irritation and breathing problems.
Fuel may be dumped in emergency landings, but only over designated areas and at a high altitude, aviation rules stipulate.
The Delta Airlines flight returned to the airport due to an engine issue.
Delta confirmed in a statement that the passenger plane had released fuel to reduce its landing weight.
The children and adults treated following the dumping incident were connected with at least six local schools. All the injuries are said to be minor.
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Allen Kenitzer, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration, told Reuters news agency: "The FAA is thoroughly investigating the circumstances behind this incident. There are special fuel-dumping procedures for aircraft operating into and out of any major US airport."These procedures call for fuel to be dumped over designated unpopulated areas, typically at higher altitudes so the fuel atomises and disperses before it reaches the ground."
Business Traveler has other details
A Delta Air Lines Boeing 777-200 bound for Shanghai Pudong that was making an emergency landing dumped fuel on six schools in Los Angeles, mildly injuring 60 adults and children, according to media reports.
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The students and staff members complained of minor skin irritation and breathing problems, but all declined transportation to hospitals, the newspaper added.
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The Los Angeles Times reports that the plane flew north over Malibu within four minutes after takeoff at 11:32am (local time). After encountering an engine problem, the journey back to the airport, in which the airline said it dumped fuel over urban southeastern Los Angeles County, took a looping route over the San Fernando Valley. The flight, which never flew higher than 8,000 feet, then moved over Griffith Park not long after, heading into southeastern LA County. Minutes later, the flight began making its return to LAX, looping back west.Flight tracking website FlightRadar24 posted an image on Twitter of the plane's flight path:
Flight path of flight #DL89 that returned to Los Angeles International Airport 24 minutes after departurehttps://t.co/JPER0N19p6 pic.twitter.com/XwJalaZfZq
- Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) January 14, 2020...
Several videos of the plane dumping fuel have emerged on social media, such as the one below: [linky]
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