Local News

After skid, plane pulled from mud back to runway at RDU

More than 12 hours after a Delta flight from Washington, D.C., slid off a runway at Raleigh-Durham International Airport, crews were in place to try and drag it out of the mud.

Posted Updated

By
Mark Boyle
and
Ali Ingersoll, WRAL reporters
RALEIGH, N.C. — It took crews more than 12 hours to move a Delta airplane flying into Raleigh from Washington, D.C., back on the runway after it slid off during icy conditions.

The plane was seen being dragged out from the mud and snow and back onto the runway at around 1 p.m. on Saturday. The runway reopened shortly after the plane was moved and as of 3 p.m., planes were departing from it.

Other flights were delayed and rerouted after the plane skidded off the runway.

None of the 13 passengers on Flight 5501 were injured Friday night when the plane slid upon landing at the Raleigh-Durham International airport.

Aviation Expert James Crouse said there will be a thorough investigation and report filed detailing how and why the plane wound up stuck in mud on Friday night

"Something messed up, because this doesn't happen unless something goes wrong," he said. "The question is, who is responsible? Who didn't do what they should have done? And what systems might have, which were inoperable might have contributed to this occurrence?"

The airfield was closed for about an hour, and runway 5L/23R remained closed into Saturday morning.

A spokesperson for RDU said passengers and crew on board the plane were taken to Terminal 2. WRAL News is reaching out to them to ask about the experience.

Numerous flights were re-routed following the plane sliding off the runway.

"Travelers should check with their airline for the latest flight status before coming to the airport," said RDU in a statement.

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