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The landing gear on a Southwest Airlines jet collapsed as it landed at La Guardia Airport yesterday, sending the Boeing 737 skidding across the runway on its belly as flames and sparks shot into the sky.
The crash landing — which came without warning — terrified the 149 passengers and crew members, who escaped the smoke-filled plane on emergency chutes (above).
A dozen were hospitalized.
“I heard people screaming,” said Evan Schreiber, 24 of Manhattan, who was on the flight. “We didn’t know if the plane was on fire. The captain didn’t come on the PA or anything.”
Steve Czech, who witnessed the crash from a nearby plane, said he saw the aircraft careen on the tarmac. “It was screeching. There was fire coming out on both sides,” he said.
The plane, Southwest Flight 345 from Nashville, hit the tarmac “nose first” shortly before 6 p.m. on Runway 4, a source said.
Despite the sparks and flames, it did not catch fire.
“There was a loud crash and the plane skidded for 10 or 15 seconds,” recalled passenger Mary Anne Sperry.
“The doors weren’t being opened and smoke was filling up the cabin.”
The Nashville resident, who was flying to New York to celebrate her 17th wedding anniversary.
“We’re just really happy to be on the ground,” she said.
Soon after getting on terra firma, professional dancer Simrin Player, who has worked with pop superstars Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus, sent out a tweet of relief.
“Just crash landed in Laguardia airport in NYC!! Thanks be to God that nobody was hurt! Scariest thing . . .” she wrote.
After the rough landing, the Port Authority’s Aircraft Rescue Firefighting Unit escorted the passengers from the scene.
Anastasia Elliot, a musician on the plane, said some were frustrated that they could not get their belongings. “These people don’t have a license or credit card or even five bucks to get a cab,” she said.
Alan Radford, 52, from Tennessee, was just happy to be safe after the impact.
“I just wanted to get off the airplane,” he said.
“I wanted to get to the ground and kiss the earth.”
La Guardia’s general manager said there was no warning that the plane might crash.
“There were no indications of problems with the nose gear before landing,” Tom Bosco said last night. “There were no radio calls saying their landing gear was not locking.”
The NTSB is investigating.
Six passengers were taken to Elmhurst Hospital in Queens with injuries described as not serious. Four others were treated at the airport.
The flight crew’s six members were also taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
The airport was shut down for about an hour and reopened at 7 p.m.
“We are gathering details and will post a statement soon,” a Southwest Airlines spokesman said last night.
Additional reporting by Natasha Velez
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