Cargo Jet Forced to Turn Around Mid-Flight After Horse Escapes Stall
A cargo jet traveling from New York to Belgium was forced to turn around mid-flight after a horse on board escaped its stall and got loose in the hold, according to air traffic control audio recordings.
The incident occurred on November 9 when the Boeing 747, operated by Air Atlanta Icelandic, had just begun its transatlantic journey. The pilot contacted air traffic control in Boston to report the escaped horse and requested permission to return to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.
We don’t have a problem as of flying-wise but we need to return, return back to New York. We cannot get the horse back secured, the pilot can be heard saying on the air traffic control recordings.
The controller granted clearance for the aircraft to return to New York, but due to the plane’s weight, the pilot had to dump 20 tons of fuel before landing. The controller informed nearby pilots about the ongoing fuel dumping process.
In addition to the fuel issue, the pilot also requested a veterinarian to be available for the horse upon landing. The controller agreed to pass on the request to the relevant authorities.
The disruption to the cargo flight was first reported by ABC News. The plane landed back at JFK, took off shortly after, and successfully reached its destination at Liege Airport the following morning, according to flight tracking site FlightRadar24.
No official statement has been released by Air Atlanta Icelandic regarding the incident.
In Brief:
– A cargo jet traveling from New York to Belgium had to turn around mid-flight after a horse escaped its stall.
– The pilot requested permission to return to New York and had to dump 20 tons of fuel before landing.
– The pilot also requested a veterinarian to be available for the horse upon landing.
– The flight successfully reached its destination at Liege Airport the next morning.
– Air Atlanta Icelandic has not released any official statement regarding the incident.
