A major US airport was forced to close over the busy Thanksgiving holiday weekend after a passenger plane slid off an icy runway, causing significant travel disruption for hundreds of passengers.
Plane Skids in Icy Conditions
The incident involved Endeavor Air Flight 5087, operating as a Delta Connection service. The Bombardier CRJ-900 aircraft slid off the paved surface of a taxiway at Des Moines International Airport in Iowa while turning after landing. The event occurred at 9:30pm local time on Saturday, 29 November.
The flight had originated in Detroit, completing an hour-and-a-half journey before the mishap during inclement weather. An airport spokesperson confirmed the aircraft “left the paved surface of the taxiway due to icy conditions upon landing.”
Instead of a routine gate arrival, the 54 passengers on board had to disembark using stairs onto the airfield and were subsequently transported to the terminal by bus.
Thanksgiving Travel Chaos Ensues
The immediate consequence was the full, temporary closure of Des Moines International Airport. The airport officially announced on social media that a plane had “departed the runway,” prompting the shutdown.
This single incident triggered a cascade of cancellations and delays across the network. Data from FlightRadar reveals the extensive impact:
- Dozens of arriving and departing flights were cancelled outright.
- Many flights were diverted to nearby alternative airports.
- Severe delays plagued the schedule, with some services arriving over half a day later than planned.
Airport operations did not resume until mid-morning on Sunday, 30 November, after the aircraft was recovered.
Investigations Launched Amid Widespread Winter Disruption
In a statement, Delta Air Lines said, “Delta teams at Des Moines International Airport are working to ensure our customers are taken care of... Safety comes before all else and we apologise to our customers for the experience.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have both opened investigations into the circumstances of the slide.
The event was part of a broader pattern of severe winter weather affecting US travel. The National Weather Service reported snowy and windy conditions across Iowa, leading to multiple road accidents. Winter storm warnings had been issued from Montana to New York, with the Great Lakes region particularly hard hit.
Nationally, the holiday weekend saw over 1,400 flight cancellations and countless delays at major airports, upending the travel plans of thousands.
