Early Friday morning, the Carolina Panthers’ team flight encountered a concerning situation upon returning to Charlotte Douglas International Airport after their preseason game in the New England area.
The aircraft, carrying 188 passengers, slid off the taxiway shortly after landing, causing a moment of alarm. Fortunately, all passengers and crew members are reported to be safe, with no injuries sustained.
The incident occurred after the plane had safely landed and was navigating the taxiway. According to reports from NBC affiliate WCNC in Charlotte, the plane veered off the designated path, and its landing gear became stuck in the mud.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is expected to launch an investigation into the incident to determine the cause. Delta Airlines, which operated the flight, has issued an apology for the inconvenience caused.
Julian Sadur of Queen City News was the first to report the news of the incident, which quickly gained attention.
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The flight had departed from Providence’s T.F. Green Airport at 12:45 a.m., following the Panthers’ game, and arrived in Charlotte at 2:41 a.m.
Upon landing on runway 36R, the aircraft attempted to navigate the taxiway M but apparently went off-course while trying to turn onto taxiway D. Flight tracking data suggests a deviation from the intended path, although the data may not be entirely precise.
The plane involved was a Boeing 767-332, operated by Delta Airlines under the flight number DL8860, a designation typically used for charter flights rather than commercial services. This particular aircraft has been in service since 1992 and has a history of mechanical issues. It previously experienced two hydraulic failures—one in Madrid in 2016 and another in New York in 2018—as well as an incident involving a tire bursting during the 2016 hydraulic failure.
Before its return flight to Charlotte, the aircraft had flown from Atlanta to Providence on Thursday night to position itself for the Panthers’ charter flight.
As the FAA prepares to investigate, the focus remains on understanding what led to the plane sliding off the taxiway and ensuring that such incidents are prevented in the future. Meanwhile, the Panthers and their staff can take comfort in the fact that everyone on board remained unharmed during the incident.
