An Alaska Airlines jet made a rough landing in Los Angeles Thursday night after the plane lost a tire during take off in Washington D.C.
Flight 309 departed from Dulles International Airport just before 5:30 p.m. and landed safely at Los Angeles International Airport just after 8 p.m., according to FlightAware, a site that tracks flight paths.
According to an Alaska Airline spokesperson, the Boeing 737-900 had 175 passengers and six crew members on board, and preliminary reports indicate the jet sustained “a main gear tire failure.”
“As precaution during arrival at LAX, our pilots declared an emergency landing to have extra support available if needed,” the spokesperson told USA TODAY Friday morning.
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’10 seconds of really violent shaking’
The passengers were alerted to prepare for a rough landing about an hour before landing, according to KABC-TV, which interviewed passengers.
“They got us in the brace position,” passenger Brent Drewette of San Juan Capistrano, California told the outlet. “It was 10 seconds of really violent shaking. But then emergency crews checked and they brought us in and everything was fine.”
The plane landed safety, the airline reported, and no one was injured.
On board the plane was a group of middle school students from Orange County, California, KABC reported.
“I had to remain really calm for my daughter,” passenger Allison Mueller told the outlet. “I was scared.”
“While this incident is a rare occurrence, our flight crews train extensively to safely manage through many scenarios,” the airline spokesperson said. “We understand this might have been a concerning moment for our guests on board. We apologize for what they experienced.”
The plane will be pulled from service while the incident is investigated, the airline reported.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.