Airlink Jet Skids Off Runway At TVC

One day after a deadly storm grounded hundreds of flights, more snow fell on parts of the Midwest Thursday.

The weather may have been a factor when a Northwest Airlines Airlink Pinnacle Airline passenger jet skidded off a runway at Cherry Capital Airport in Traverse City, MI around 1245 local time Thursday morning.

Airport officials say Flight 4712's nose landing gear collapsed causing the aircraft skid and come to a rest about 300 feet off the runway. Pinnacle Airlines spokesman Phil Reed told The Associated Press crew members reported the plane's brakes weren't working when the jet landed.

Of the 50 passengers and three crew members, there were no reports of injuries. One passenger told reporters the plane "landed hard, tipped to the side and a wing tip dragged along the runway as the plane slid down the runway to a stop."

Six deaths elsewhere have been blamed on the slick conditions. Some areas of the Midwest got more than nine inches of snow. Another inch or more is expected as drizzling rain turned back to snow.

"I think we are all cranky about the weather," said Pat Rowe, spokeswoman for Milwaukee's General Mitchell International Airport. MKE has experienced many delays and cancellations.

"I think it's terrible," said Molly Gray, 22, a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "It's the reason why I'm never living in the Midwest again after this year."

Chicago O'Hare International Airport took on three inches of snow Wednesday breaking its own record 2.3 inches set in 1957 for the same day. More than 550 flights were canceled because of poor visibility, said city aviation spokesman Gregg Cunningham.

Milwaukee broke a snowfall record as well for the date with a total of seven inches, 3.2 inches was recorded in 1997. Taylor, WI took on 9.5 inches. North Dakota and South Dakota each got about 7 inches of snow while some areas of northern Illinois reported around six inches.

"It's kind of flying sideways," said hardware store owner Harvey Neu of Menomonee Falls, WI. "It's not like a gently falling snowfall. It's more of a get-out-of-my-face type of thing."

FMI: www.tvcairport.com/, www.mitchellairport.com/, www.ohare.com/