HALIFAX, NS – A Porter Airlines flight PD209 arriving from Toronto narrowly avoided disaster late Wednesday night after the aircraft skidded off the runway during its landing at Halifax Stanfield International Airport (YHZ).
The aircraft, a modern Embraer E195-E2, was completing its scheduled arrival on Wednesday, February 11, when it experienced a “runway excursion” on Runway 14/32. Witnesses and local reports describe “treacherous” and “slick” conditions at the time of the incident, as a winter weather system moved through the region.
Emergency Response and Evacuation
Airport emergency crews were dispatched immediately to the scene. Despite the aircraft coming to a halt off the paved surface, officials have confirmed that all passengers and crew members remained unharmed.
Passengers were safely offloaded from the disabled jet using mobile stairs and shuttle buses. The occupants were taken directly to the main terminal for processing and support. No injuries were reported, and the aircraft did not catch fire or sustain visible catastrophic damage during the slide.
Airport Operations Impacted
The incident caused significant logistical hurdles for the Atlantic hub. Because the aircraft remained disabled near the threshold of the runway, Runway 14/32 was immediately closed to allow for a recovery operation and a preliminary safety investigation.
Fortunately, Halifax Stanfield’s primary Runway 05/23 remained operational throughout the night, allowing for some arrivals and departures to continue, though many flights faced delays or cancellations due to the combination of the incident and ongoing weather.
