The Tribune

By TRIBUNE STAFF REPORTER 

AN American airline that operated a plane that skidded off the runway at Grand Bahama International Airport in October last year has been issued a warning by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). 

In the incident, an American Eagle plane travelling from Miami skidded off the runway, coming to a stop 15ft from the south side of it and damaging the rear landing gear. Two passengers were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. 

The FAA has now issued a warning to Envoy Air, the largest regional carrier for American Airlines, after one of its commuter jets was forced to divert after pilots found they were aimed at the wrong runway seconds before landing at an airport in Illinois.

According to American news agency CNN, the March 2020 incident is one of several instances of “alleged pilot error” included in a FAA letter sent to Envoy Air.

CNN said it exclusively obtained the FAA document.

The news agency reported that the letter, which details the FAA’s findings from January, describes “‘consistent evidence showing potential lack of airmanship’, unsafe and poor piloting by multiple Envoy Air flight crews over the past two years”.

CNN said nine “concerning” incidents that took place from 2019 to 2020 are also spoken of in the letter written by FAA officials.

In an interview with CNN, FAA administrator Steve Dickson said the probe is “based on data that we have been able to glean by working with the operator to identify where there might be areas of emerging risk that they need to focus on.”

According to the news agency, Mr Dickson also noted that the objective is to ensure that Envoy Air is not only following the necessary flight rules, but also “operating safely”.

Meanwhile, company representatives for Envoy Air told CNN that officials have been working with both the FAA and pilot union to “transparently and collaboratively examine the root cause of each potential issue and take any necessary corrective actions if needed.”

In the incident in October last year, earlier reports said the American Eagle aircraft experienced mechanical difficulties on the runway after landing shortly before noon, and skidded off the runway and came to a stop 15ft from the south side of it, damaging the rear landing gear.