An Air Canada domestic passenger is reported to have been injured after an aircraft propeller broke off and sliced through the cabin, striking her on the head.
Christina Kurylo was one of 71 people, including four crew, on board the Bombardier Q400 flying from Calgary which was forced to make an emergency landing on Thursday.
She was sitting in a window seat as the aircraft hit the runway in Edmonton, resulting in the right-side propeller snapping off and becoming lodged in the fuselage, the Telegraph reported.
The landing initially seemed to be going smoothly until passengers heard “a lot of rattling” as they touched down on the runway.
The right landing gear then collapsed and sparks flew as the right undercarriage dragged along the tarmac.
The propeller smashed into Kurylo’s window, knocking off her glasses and covering her in pieces of broken plexiglass.
She was helped out by her seatmate as she heard someone shout “get off the plane, it’s on fire”, Canadian newspaper the Globe reported.
Kurylo was taken to hospital where she was discharged after six hours having suffered a concussion, sore neck and bruises on her head and shoulders.
Manon Stuart, a spokeswoman for Jazz Aviation, which operates the flight for Air Canada, said four passengers were sent to hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
“At this point, there is no reason to question the safety of the Q400 aircraft. The cause of this incident is still unknown,” she said.
Stuart and Marianella de la Barrera, a spokeswoman for Bombardier, said the Q400 is considered a robust, reliable aircraft.