Summary Panthers' flight off runway due to normal landing gear incident; no injuries reported on board. Post-tropical cyclone caused delays in Charlotte flights; disruption in services observed. Incident aircraft, Delta's 31.
8-year-old Boeing 767-300ER, remains at ATL gate for now. The Carolina Panthers and coaches had had the ride of their lives when their Delta Air Lines Boeing 767-300ER ran off the taxiway at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) on Friday, August 9. No injuries were reported onboard, and once the plane came to a complete stop, several emergency vehicles were met to assess the situation.
The Panthers had just returned from New England and commiserating their loss 17-3 to the Patriots in their pre-season opening game. A 'normal' landing Delta noted that the landing gear on the right side of the aircraft left the taxiway after what was reported to be a normal landing. 188 passengers were onboard and then bused to the airport terminal once disembarked.
The crew remained on the aircraft as it was moved from the taxiway to clear the area for other arriving and departing aircraft. DL8860, a charter flight operating from Rhode Island T. F.
Green International Airport (PVD) in Providence, was scheduled to depart from New England at 23:45 on August 8. The flight eventually pushed back from the terminal at 00:55 and traveled southwest towards North Carolina at its cruising altitude of 36,000 feet. The aircraft descended into the Charlotte airport as it cross.