Plane from RDU makes emergency landing at Philadelphia International Airport
PHILADELPHIA (WTVD) -- An engine fire forced a United Express flight from Raleigh-Durham International Airport to make an emergency landing in Philadelphia.
The landing took place around 3:50 p.m. Tuesday and involved United Express flight #4882, which was operated by Republic Airlines.
One of the plane's two engines caught fire during the flight. Firefighters used foam on the engine once it landed.
Click here to see video from the tarmac.
Brian Giordano, who lives in Raleigh, was on that flight. Despite hearing the sounds and seeing smoke, he said the scariest moments came when the pilots got on the intercom.
"It was a little scary because they prepped us for a crash," said Giordano.
A photo from thousands of feet in the sky showed a propeller on engine number two perfectly still.
"There was a pop on the right side of the plane and the engine and the prop stopped then there was a fire and the plane shifted a little bit and dropped, but the pilot had it under control," said Giordano.
The plane left RDU just before 3 p.m. bound for Newark. About 30 minutes later, the pilots reported an engine fire. Giordano said after he heard a pop, then he saw smoke.
Another passenger said pilots told them to brace for a rough ride.
"It dropped," said Alan Chaney. "When there was a bang, it dropped pretty quickly, but then the pilots reassured us."
The plane made the emergency landing about 10 minutes later.
"There was actually a lot of clapping and then the pilot got on and said, 'Everybody get out. Stop clapping and just get out.'"
Firefighters sprayed foam under the aircraft's belly while everyone evacuated. The plane was later towed away.
Officials said paramedics took one passenger with a heart condition to the hospital.
Giordano and the others boarded buses headed to Newark happy to have survived the gut-wrenching experience unscathed.
"They've been treating us really well," said Giordano. "Lots of food, lots of drinks. Lots of food and drinks upstairs. So everything was fine."
Giordano's final destination is Glasgow. He missed his flight, and spent the evening in Newark.
