JetBlue A320 Circles to Burn Fuel, Find Answers

ANN REAL-TIME NEWS: 2138 EDT -- The end of flight 292 on Wednesday was what the space crowd would call "nominal."  When it was over, fire trucks encircled a JetBlue Airbus A320 on the runway at Los Angeles International Airport Monday after the flight crew made a remarkable emergency landing -- their nosegear cocked at a 90-degree angle to the fuselage of the aircraft.

The aircraft, Flight 292 from Burbank, CA, to JFK, NY, diverted to Los Angeles International Airport as its dilemma was carried live on television around the world. After circling for almost two hours, the crew went ahead with their approach, making a picture-perfect landing.

The flight crew landed on the  mains, putting the damaged nosegear squarely on the center line.

As the aircraft slowed, the tires began to smoke as they were eroded by runway contact, then burst, igniting brilliant plumes of flame as each tire blew. Yet, the aircraft continued on the centerline, without deviation, until it came to a stop. Directional control appeared to be a non-issue as the flight crew did what appeared to be an exceptional job of maintaining control of the roll-out.

The landing was so remarkably contolled that the passengers were allowed to disembark by a portable stairway instead of down the emergency slides.

FMI: www.jetblue.com