The front landing gear of a Buffalo Airways Boeing 737 gave way on the runway at Yellowknife Airport on Monday evening, causing another aircraft to reroute back to Vancouver.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada confirmed the issue with the Buffalo Airways plane in an email statement.
Three crew members were on board the cargo flight. According to Cabin Radio, Mikey McBryan, the general manager of the airline, indicated that no one required medical assistance following the nose gear malfunction during landing.
A representative from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada stated on Tuesday that the aircraft has been removed from the runway, allowing airport operations to continue normally.
The governmental body is looking into the incident and collecting additional details but has not dispatched investigators to the scene.
Nav Canada, the organization responsible for air traffic control in the country, noted in an email that the runway closure impacted another flight until operations resumed.
A Nav Canada spokesperson mentioned that although there was an alternative runway available at Yellowknife airport, the pilots of the other flight opted against landing there, citing it as insufficient in length.
Yellowknife resident Reyhan Sarikaya shared with CBC News that her Air Canada flight coming from Vancouver was diverted approximately an hour before reaching Yellowknife on Monday. She recounted that the pilot informed passengers about a disabled aircraft occupying the Yellowknife runway, which hindered their landing.
Sarikaya reported that her flight then returned to Vancouver, where passengers were provided with vouchers for hotel accommodations and transportation.
“I think pretty much everyone was good,” she commented.
CBC has reached out to Buffalo Airways and the N.W.T. Department of Infrastructure for further details regarding the incident.
