BOSTON -
A Delta jet was forced to make an emergency landing at Denver International Airport after it was caught in a hail storm that damaged its windshield and nose cone.
ABC News reported that Delta Airlines Flight 1889 was headed to Salt Lake City from Boston Friday at 8:42 p.m. when it was pounded by hail. Passenger Rob Wessman said passengers were holding hands and crying.
"I was nervous," he said. "I was messaging my wife, actually, 'Hey, this is pretty scary.'"
FAA officials say hail pelted the plane, damaged its nose cone and cracked its windshield.
The plane dropped 14,000 feet in two minutes, but was able to land safely thanks to guidance from the air traffic control tower.
According to audio recordings of pilots' conversations with air traffic controllers, their visibility was compromised during the landing. The pilots landed without incident and all passengers were re-accommodated on another aircraft, Delta said in a statement.
One person was transported to a hospital per their own request, according to a Denver International Airport representative.
Passenger Beau Sorenson said he didn't realize how significant the damage was until the plane was safely on the ground.
"I didn't realize that we were in as much danger as we were until we got on the ground and actually saw the damage to the plane," Sorenson said. "Then I realized we were lucky to be alive."
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating.
A Delta jet was forced to make an emergency landing at Denver International Airport after it was caught in a hail storm that damaged its windshield and nose cone.
ABC News reported that Delta Airlines Flight 1889 was headed to Salt Lake City from Boston Friday at 8:42 p.m. when it was pounded by hail. Passenger Rob Wessman said passengers were holding hands and crying.
"I was nervous," he said. "I was messaging my wife, actually, 'Hey, this is pretty scary.'"
FAA officials say hail pelted the plane, damaged its nose cone and cracked its windshield.
The plane dropped 14,000 feet in two minutes, but was able to land safely thanks to guidance from the air traffic control tower.
According to audio recordings of pilots' conversations with air traffic controllers, their visibility was compromised during the landing. The pilots landed without incident and all passengers were re-accommodated on another aircraft, Delta said in a statement.
One person was transported to a hospital per their own request, according to a Denver International Airport representative.
Passenger Beau Sorenson said he didn't realize how significant the damage was until the plane was safely on the ground.
"I didn't realize that we were in as much danger as we were until we got on the ground and actually saw the damage to the plane," Sorenson said. "Then I realized we were lucky to be alive."
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating.
