Emergency Slide That Fell Off Delta Plane During Flight Found

An emergency slide, which fell off a Delta Air Lines flight departing from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City to Los Angeles on April 26 and forced the plane to make an emergency return, has been found.

USA Today reports the plane part was recovered from the Atlantic Ocean in a jetty near Beach 131st St. in Queens, about 10 miles from where the flight took off. JFK Airport is also located in this New York City borough.

Delta Air Lines Flight 520 declared an emergency and returned safely to the airport around 8:35 a.m. The Federal Aviation Administration said the crew reported a vibration, which alerted that something was amiss.

The website Flight Aware showed the plane’s path. The plane took off at 7:32 a.m., made a loop, and returned to the airport.

@FAANews @FAASafetyBrief @JFKairport @Delta @NYCParks It appears the emergency slide that detached from the Boeing 767 Delta flight to LA from JFK Airport on Friday morning, is floating in the Atlantic, caught in the jetty on Beach 130th Street in Rockaway. pic.twitter.com/FYyC173yXi

— Katie McFadden (@KatieMcFaddenNY) April 28, 2024

Delta’s pilots reported vibrations and banging sounds to air traffic control just after takeoff. The plane was in the air for 33 minutes before it returned to JFK. Later, Delta said that the plane’s emergency slide had separated from the aircraft when it returned to the gate.

CBS News shared a statement from Delta: “As nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and people, Delta flight crews enacted their extensive training and followed procedures to return to JFK. We appreciate their professionalism and our customers’ patience for the delay in their travels.” 

The statement continued, “After the aircraft had safely landed and proceeded to a gate, it was observed that the emergency slide had separated from the aircraft. Delta is fully supporting retrieval efforts and will fully cooperate in investigations.”

There were 176 passengers, two pilots, and five flight attendants on board. After the flight returned to JFK Airport, the passengers boarded a different plane, and their flight departed at 10:59 a.m., three hours behind schedule.