JetBlue Flight Approaches For Emergency Landing At LAX

Why doesn't the Airbus A-320 have the ability to dump fuel?




JetBlue Flight Approaches For Emergency Landing
Crews Prepare At Two Airports

POSTED: 4:20 pm PDT September 21, 2005
UPDATED: 5:28 pm PDT September 21, 2005

LOS ANGELES -- The crew of a JetBlue airliner is preparing to make an
emergency landing Wednesday afternoon at a Southland airport.


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The crew reported problems with the plane's nose gear. The nose gear
of the Airbus 320 is turned at a 90-degree angle.

"I've never seen a situation like that," said Donn Walker of the
Federal Aviation Administration.

The plane left Burbank Airport for New York's JFK Airport. It was
diverted when the crew reported the problem.

The plane is circling over the Long Beach area at between 4,000 and
5,000 feet. JetBlue officials confirmed at 5:20 p.m. that the plane
would be in the air for at least another 90 minutes.

Jon Dudley, a commercial airline pilot, said the crew will probably
attempt to use as much fuel as possible before landing.

"Eventually, the loss of airspeed causes the nose to drop," he said.
"The pilot will hold it off, then guide the nose down. He'll come in
as slow as possible."

Airport personnel are standing by, awaiting the arrival of Flight 292.
Emergency crews have been disptached at LAX and Long Beach Airport.

JetBlue Officials said the plane has 139 passengers and a six-member
crew.

Jeff Reeb, of the Long Beach Fire Department, told NBC4 that his
department has 35 units and 65 people deployed at the airport. The
Long Beach airport runways, the longest of which is 10,000 feet long,
have been cleared of commercial aviation traffic, Reeb said.

Watch NBC4 and refresh this page for updates.