A Porter Airlines flight experienced a significant incident at John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport on Wednesday. Flight PD478, arriving from Edmonton, lost traction while taxiing and slid off the taxiway. Fortunately, both passengers and crew members emerged uninjured.
Details of the Incident
The aircraft, carrying a total of 78 individuals, successfully landed but encountered difficulties on the ground due to adverse weather conditions. According to airport officials, the nose wheel of the plane slightly left the paved surface during the taxiing process.
Airport Response and Delays
In response to the situation, Hamilton Airport temporarily closed its runways as a precautionary measure. This decision caused the diversion of two flights to Toronto Pearson International Airport:
- Porter 764 from Cancun
- Porter 484 from Calgary
Normal operations resumed shortly after the incident. The aircraft involved will undergo standard inspections before returning to service.
Similar Incident Reported in Halifax
This event marks the second taxiway-related incident for Porter Airlines this month. Earlier, on February 12, a different Porter flight from Toronto encountered trouble at Halifax Stanfield International Airport.
After landing safely at 8:21 p.m., the aircraft became disabled while exiting the runway. It slid laterally and became stuck in snow off the taxiway. Emergency crews were deployed, as the aircraft was unable to navigate to the terminal independently.
Conditions at the Time
The Halifax incident involved 64 individuals—59 passengers and five crew members. It coincided with a winter storm that deposited as much as 20 centimeters of snow in the area. Thankfully, there were no injuries reported in either incident.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has noted these incidents and is monitoring the situation closely. Such conditions underline the importance of safety measures during adverse weather.
