A firefighter stands on the steps of a Westjet aircraft that skidded off the runway at Halifax Stanfield International Airport, on Jan. 5, 2020.Andrew Vaughan/The Canadian Press
Three investigators from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada are trying to determine why a passenger jet skidded off the end of a runway at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport on the weekend.
WestJet Flight 248 landed in the midst of a snowstorm just after noon on Sunday and overshot Runway 14 with 172 passengers and seven crew members aboard.
There were no injuries and it remains unclear whether the Boeing 737 was damaged when it came to a stop on a grassy area about 50 metres beyond the runway.
“There was preliminary information that there was no apparent damage to the aircraft,” board spokesman Chris Krepski said in an interview. “The maintenance organization for WestJet will take a closer look at the aircraft.”
Krepski said the board has three main options as it moves forward with its investigation.
The board could conduct a comprehensive investigation and submit a full report with recommendations. It could also submit a shorter report based on a limited probe, or it could simply add basic details to its database if investigators determine there is nothing that would contribute to transportation safety.
“Right now, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada continues to gather information and we’ll assess that information to determine what the scope of an investigation might be,” Krepski said.
Runway 14 was reopened Sunday around 10 p.m. after the jet was towed away.
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