CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Passengers aboard a San Diego-bound United Airlines flight from Washington’s Dulles International Airport spent an unexpected four-hour layover at Charleston’s Yeager Airport on Tuesday, after smoke was detected in their westbound Boeing 757.
Emergency crews were on hand, and the access road to the airport was temporarily closed to accommodate emergency vehicles, as the aircraft made a routine landing at about 9:15 a.m.
None of the 178 passengers and crew members aboard the flight was injured in the incident.
at standard day plus 28 (87 degrees), airport altitude of ~1000, no winds, gross weight 220,000 the 757 can get airborne in less than 6,000 feet.
i’m saying they swapped crews in ord because the crew would have ran out of duty hours. otherwise, they could have gone to denver which is more direct if they couldn’t fly nonstop from yeager.
