An American Airlines jet skidded off the runway and into grass shortly after landing at New York's Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport in snowy weather Thursday.
The Embraer E145 plane, carrying 53 passengers, had just landed and was being taxied to the terminal around 4 p.m. when it skidded, FAA and American Airlines officials said.
The terrifying incident was caused by “snowy conditions at the airfield” caused by a light snowstorm that fell in the area, a US spokesperson said.
Videos shared on social media showed paramedics responding to the plane as several firefighters escorted passengers through a snow-covered field.
Fortunately, none of the 50 passengers and three crew members were injured.
“Safety is our top priority and we apologize for the inconvenience caused to our customers. All passengers were safely deplaned and transported by bus to the terminal,” a US spokesperson said.
The plane had just traveled 300 miles from Philadelphia International Airport, but the plane landed nearly an hour behind schedule. FlightAware data shows.
At the time of the slide, a light snow was falling in Rochester.
Heavy snow is expected to fall again in the region, with nearby Buffalo expected to receive 2 to 4 inches of snow per hour over the weekend.
The plane was towed from the taxiway and taken out of service for a full inspection.
The FAA is investigating the incident.
