How Did DHL Cargo Plane Crash In Costa Rica?

The cargo airliner, a Boeing 757-200, went off the runway, damaged its tail, and crashed in a nearby grassy field.

There were reports of dangerous chemicals on board as the plane made an emergency landing. It skidded violently to the right upon touch down.

A column of smoke rose from the plane’s undercarriage before it came to rest on an uneven median, its tail erupting in sparks.

After the Mayday landing, the crew apparently lost control of the DHL plane and the gear struts collapsed, according to Aero Inside. The mechanism that takes the brunt of the landing is called a gear strut.

The airplane crew was physically uninjured, according to DHL, following the crash. One of them, however, is having medical examinations as a precaution.

La Nacion, a local daily, published images showing an airplane covered in firefighting foam, which was cited by Reuters.

Luis Munoz, deputy head of the Costa Rican civil aviation authority, confirmed that the plane was en route to Guatemala.

After a hydraulic system malfunction, it requested an emergency landing and returned to the airport.

In a statement, DHL said it is working with airport officials to remove the damaged plane. An inquiry will also be undertaken to investigate the cause of the failure, according to the statement.

For several hours, the international airport was shut down as a result of the incident. A total of 57 commercial and cargo aircraft were impacted, according to airport operator Aeris.