An American Airlines flight recently underwent a significant drop in altitude, descending over 18,000 feet approximately 43 minutes post-departure.
Specific data from FlightAware indicates that the Embraer ERJ-145 aircraft descended a total of 18,600 feet within a span of six minutes. During this descent, passengers on board heard a pronounced noise and detected a burning smell.
Harrison Hove, a University of Florida professor and one of the passengers, shared his experience of the event. He mentioned the sensation of ear-popping and the noticeable burning odor. Hove also posted pictures on social media platforms that displayed the deployment of oxygen masks, which he and other passengers utilized.
The flight, American Eagle flight 5916 managed by Piedmont Airlines, was en route from Charlotte, North Carolina to Gainesville, Florida with 50 passengers and three crew members aboard. It landed safely with no injuries reported.
In response to the incident, American Airlines acknowledged a pressurization problem as the cause of the rapid descent. Their official statement read: “While in flight, the crew received an indication of a possible pressurization issue and safely descended to a lower altitude.” The airline also expressed its apologies to the passengers.
Hove, in his social media posts, commended the flight crew and pilots for their composed handling of the situation. These posts have since gained traction online.
