Boeing’s Christmas Tradition

Frequent contributor Stephen Joiner writes: “The 737 runway overshoot in Jamaica on December 8 reminds me of our Boeing Aircraft On Ground article (“Airliner Repair 24/7,” Oct./Nov. 2008), where Boeing’s Jim Testin told me gravely, “Something will ALWAYS happen on Christmas eve” (and then it did.) …

Frequent contributor Stephen Joiner writes: “The 737 runway overshoot in Jamaica on December 8 reminds me of our Boeing Aircraft On Ground article (“Airliner Repair 24/7,” Oct./Nov. 2008), where Boeing’s Jim Testin told me gravely, “Something will ALWAYS happen on Christmas eve” (and then it did.) This year he was off by about 24 hours, but close enough to be an uncanny continuation of their decades-long streak of yuletide mangling.”

American Airlines Flight 331 landed in Kingston in heavy rain and skidded off the runway, ending up on an airport access road with the fuselage split in two just forward of the wings. All 154 on board survived. Thirteen people were hospitalized with minor injuries.

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