Breaking: Delta Flight Manages Successful Landing In Charlotte Without Nose Gear

Delta Air Lines flight 1092 from Atlanta to Charlotte just successfully landed without its nose gear. Passengers safely deplaned the aircraft and made it to the terminal by bus.

After circling the airport a couple of times, trying to address the malfunctioning landing gear, the plane made it down onto runway 36 at around 8:40 a.m. The runway is currently closed. Nobody was reported injured.

Update: from inside the cabin:

Crew are currently trying to get the aircraft off of the runway and this may cause some delays in Charlotte.

About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

More articles by Gary Leff »

Comments

  1. this is payback for Delta having to slam on the brakes at JFK because AA’s 777 failed to obey ATC directions and crossed in front of the DL 737. The DL flight ended up cancelling while the AA flight continued onto LHR.

    There will be ATC delays at CLT for hours.

    I kid. Maybe a little bit.

  2. I’m surprised they didn’t return to ATL when they knew there was a problem. A lot easier to fix their plane there.

  3. Tim, we don’t know all the facts and with the ATC issues of late, I wouldn’t be so quick to blame. Let’s just be glad all are safe with any incident and thank the pilots and crews.

  4. How should carry on luggage be treated? On one hand, it was not so urgent that all the emergency exits were used. On the other hand, the landing is not normal.

    Another issue is theft. Some airlines are stingy, claim depreciation of baggage, etc.

    For me, I would stuff my pockets with hard to replace keys and wallet but run for my life otherwise.

  5. Those ancient 717s need to be retired. I’ve flown them several times on the MSP-NYC routes… they haven’t even been updated with current IFE or wifi, so it’s clear DL is not planning to keep them for the long run.

  6. @Derek I travel with a multi-pocket vest. It’s on my body for takeoff and landing. The pockets contain my keys, wallet, phone and, if traveling internationally, passport. I recommend the travel vests anyway.

    I don’t have anything in other pockets, so when I go through security, vest comes off, goes in the bin with all my stuff…it doesn’t save a lot of time per trip, but it adds up.

    They’re also really good if you’re doing something active like horseback riding, whitewater rafting, etc, and don’t want to have anything in your pants pockets.

  7. That is a pretty spectacular landing. No scorch marks from the metal hitting runway. Well done pilots. Must have been scary for those on board.

  8. first, there was an ATC delay for CLT due to a disabled aircraft but the aircraft apparently has either been moved or the volume of flights is below what can the remaining runways can handle because there is no ATC delays at CLT any longer.
    second, the Delta 717 fleet is younger than the A320 fleets at AA, DL and UA.
    third, the 717 exists at Delta specifically because Delta uses it as a replacement for RJs – of which DL has 250 less than AA or UA. Unlike regional jets, Delta can staff its 717 fleet.
    fourth, no contracted regional jets for AA, AS, DL or UA have seatback AVOD or high speed wifi so far as I know.
    fifth, virtually no AA or AS domestic aircraft on any aircraft type and hundreds of UA aircraft lack one or both of hi-speed Wifi or seatback AVOD.
    sixth, a disabled aircraft in any airline hub can massively disrupt a schedule. The situation was contained fairly quickly to limit damage to AA’s operation.
    seventh, I doubt if the passengers noticed any more on this flight than the passengers on the UA 737 which dragged its tail at IAH on landing. Since that aircraft continued for 7 more flights, either the impact was unnoticeable to passengers or UA managed to suppress any customer feedback.

    and on a related note, the Delta A319 that was the instrument of death by suicide in SAT on Friday is ferrying back to ATL, apparently after an engine change.

  9. How about them aviators?!

    Are they still overpaid, Gary?

    Asking for a 737 friend

  10. I’m a fan of DL but Tim Dunn’s comments always make me chuckle. One of the many reasons to read through articles than the comments. TY VFTW

  11. Good job by the pilots and cabin crew. I hope all of the cabin baggage made it’s way to the owners safely. Good and minimal use of slides.

  12. Tell me your airline flies ancient planes to save cost that should be retired without telling me you fly delta…

  13. And yet somehow Tim Dunn manages to figure out a way to turn this story into his usual “ignoramus that knows how to type” by betraying his lack of knowledge of why delta bought the old 717 and flies it now…
    Hint hint. Delta corporate doesn’t know how to negotiate regional scope, unlike aa.

    And now he compares delta mainline to aa and UA regional product?

    Tim, stick to selling used cars. I’m sure delta and their old planes appreciate it.

  14. some people show their ignorance of finances.
    Hint. Delta didn’t WANT TO duplicate the regional jet operations that American and United had because the finances of operating regional jets deteriorated over a decade ago.
    The reason why CVG and MEM both failed as hubs is because they were small local markets with hubs that were highly built around 50 seat regional jets.
    Delta knew the economics of regional jet flying and said on earnings calls that are available to the public that regional jet connections had the worst economics of any type of Delta flying.
    Delta saw the opportunity to acquire the 717s as part of the Southwest acquisition of AirTran; WN didn’t want to deviate from its all 737 fleet strategy and subsidized the cost of retrofitting the aircraft to Delta standards in order to get rid of them.
    The 717 does not have per seat economics as good as other mainline jets but they are better than any regional jet. During covid, Delta intended to eliminate the 717.
    As the pilot shortage deepened, Delta reversed its decision to retire the 717s because the economics have swung even more strongly in favor of the 717 and away from regional jets. The economics of regional jets began to deteriorate years ago and Delta tracked it and gained an advantage from it.
    any other interpretation is simply an inability to accept that Delta led the industry in yet another strategy that other airlines are still trying to copy,

    The 717s are younger than many other mainline fleet types at AA, DL and UA. They are derivates of the DC9. They will fly long after a whole lot of other aircraft types from Airbus and Boeing.

  15. We thank God for boldness of the pilot to manage this situation safely. Kudos.

Comments are closed.