Investigators look seriously at dog-bites-plane incident
August 5, 1999
BOSTON (AP) -- Dog bites man is
commonplace. Man bites dog, a little weird. But dog bites plane?
Authorities at Logan Airport said an Irish
wolfhound freed itself from a kennel during a
United Airlines flight to San Francisco and
chewed up the cargo area.
The dog, whose name was not released, managed to gnaw into wires for the Boeing 767's
landing gear, its cockpit warning lights and others that slowed the plane upon landing by
extending its wing flaps.
Airline officials said the pilot was able to land the plane safely in San Francisco, albeit at a slightly faster speed than normal because of the impaired flaps. The July 24 flight was carrying 159 passengers and a crew of nine.
Federal Aviation Administration officials say dogs have damaged airplanes before, but this is the first time a dog is believed to have caused service difficulties for a plane.
The airline is still investigating how the dog got loose. Luggage handlers reported that when they opened the cargo door, they found the dog wagging his tail, apparently eager to disembark.
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