Heart attack prompts emergency landing, but runway too short to take off again
By APFriday, March 26, 2010
Heart attack prompts jetliner’s emergency landing
FARMINGTON, N.M. — A Boeing 737-800 carrying 167 people made a safe emergency landing in New Mexico after a passenger suffered a heart attack.
Continental Airlines spokeswoman Christen David says Continental Flight 602 from Newark, N.J., to Los Angeles landed at Four Corners Regional Airport in Farmington late Thursday afternoon to assist the stricken 70-year-old man.
Airport Manager Ben Trujillo says that while the plane landed on 6,500-foot runway without any problems, it wasn’t long enough for it to safely take off again.
Officials say the aircraft loaded with luggage and cargo coupled with the airport’s mile-high elevation and runway distance made the takeoff inadvisable.
David says luggage was put on a different plane and the Boeing and its passengers continued to Los Angeles after about a three hour delay.
The Farmington Daily Times reported that authorities said the man had a heart attack. He was hospitalized but his name and condition weren’t available.
The Daily Times contributed to this report.
