Two separate aircraft incidents reported in Texas this week
A small aircraft experienced a landing gear failure while attempting to land at Winston Airport in Snyder, Texas, and a separate incident involved the front windshield of a Mesa Airlines jet with 72 passengers breaking off during take‑off from Houston to El Paso. Both events resulted in no injuries but prompted emergency responses and flight disruptions.
A small aircraft’s landing gear malfunctioned while landing at Winston Airport, causing the plane to skid across FM 1607, breach a fence and come to rest on its side.1 First responders arrived at the Winston Airport scene at 2:12 p.m. and found the three occupants outside the aircraft, who were evaluated by Scurry County EMS with no injuries reported.1 A nearby school was notified of the Winston Airport incident and took safety measures.1 During take‑off on September 27, the front glass of a Mesa Airlines plane carrying 72 passengers broke off at an altitude of about 3,900 m.2 The Mesa Airlines flight returned to Houston, passengers were transferred to another aircraft and later landed in El Paso the same day.2 Landing gear failures and windshield loss highlight maintenance and inspection concerns that can affect aircraft dispatch reliability for airlines and airports.1,2 The disruptions required passenger re‑booking and aircraft turnaround changes, impacting revenue management and travel seller operations.2