Mexicana Jet Overshoots Runway

A Mexicana Airlines flight overshot the runway at O’Hare yesterday, just after 7 p.m. The plane struck a concrete safety barrier -- an arrestor bed -- designed to stop planes that don’t want to stop. One person, a flight attendant, was injured and taken to the hospital. 142 people were evacuated from a stair truck and taken to the terminal on buses.

They are still investigating the cause, and it will take some time, but officials are speculating crosswinds may have forced the planes nose gear off the runway.

Runway 22L was closed yesterday and is expected to open again soon. Officials say the incident had little effect on air traffic. [S-T]

Photo by caribb.