A Florida-bound American Airlines flight dropped over 15,000 feet in just three minutes, as per flight records, taking passengers completely by alarm.
According to data from FlightAware, the plane dropped over 20,000 feet in a period of 11 minutes. Even more alarming was the 18,000-feet drop within six minutes, 43 minutes after the flight had taken off.
A spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration said that the crew members reported a possible pressurisation issue after taking off from North Carolina on Thursday, reported Fox News. The plane managed to land at the Gainesville Regional Airport in Florida on 5 pm.
Recounting a 'terrifying experience', University of Florida Professor Harrison Hove wrote on X, formerly Twitter, "I’ve flown a lot. This was scary. Kudos to our amazing flight crew- cabin staff and pilots on @AmericanAir 5916. The photos cannot capture the burning smell, loud bang or ear pops. Good to be on the ground."
He also lauded the efforts of the crew members, including the pilot who kept them "informed and calm". He said that "something failed midflight" and depressurised the cabin, while the oxygen canisters led to a burning smell. As per FlightAware, the plane arrived 38 minutes later than the scheduled time.
An American Airlines spokesperson told Fox News that a pressurisation issue led to the sudden drop in altitude and thanked the team for their efforts in handling the panic situation.
"American Eagle flight 5916, operated by Piedmont Airlines, from Charlotte (CLT) to Gainesville, Florida (GNV) landed safely in GNV on Thursday, August 10. While inflight, the crew received an indication of a possible pressurization issue and immediately and safely descended to a lower altitude. We apologize to our customers for any inconvenience and thank our team for their professionalism," said the spokesperson.
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