WINNIPEG — An airline popular with Manitoba travellers had to make an emergency landing in Fargo, North Dakota after the pilot claims he was running out of fuel.
Allegiant flight 426 was flying from Las Vegas to Fargo on Thursday, July 23. In a conversation with the air traffic control tower posted on the aviation website LiveATC, the pilot says he has no choice but to land at the airport even though it was closed for an air show rehearsal.
“We are circling Fargo, we don’t have enough fuel to go anywhere else,” said the pilot. “We don’t have enough fuel to go anywhere else and our guys are trying to get in touch with the tower manager right now to coordinate our landing or I’m going to have to declare an emergency and come in and land.
At one point the air traffic controller tells the pilot he can land in 20 minutes.
“Yeah I don’t have 20 minutes,” said the pilot. “Listen we’re at bingo fuel here in about probably 3, 3 to 4 minutes and I got to come in and land.”
The Fargo Hector International Airport was closed for the Blue Angels practice. They are the United States Navy’s flight demonstration team.
“Your company dispatch should’ve been aware of this for a number of months,” the air traffic controller told the pilot.
“Yea, we’ll follow up on that,” responded the pilot.
The controller suggested the pilot land at the airport in Grand Forks, which is around 110 kilometres north of Fargo,
Eventually the pilot declares an emergency and safely lands in Fargo.
In a statement to CBS News, Allegiant said “at this time, we are coordinating with the FAA and the airport to investigate all channels of communication regarding the flight and the circumstances leading to the declaration of emergency.”
The FAA also said the plane left Las Vegas behind schedule.
In a statement to Global News, Allegiant says:
“A thorough internal review with regard to Allegiant flight 426 from Las Vegas to Fargo on July 23 has determined that at the time of departure, the FAA notice posted for Fargo airport indicated that the airport remained open to scheduled air carrier service. The aircraft was dispatched with enough fuel for the trip and with sufficient reserve, in accordance with company standards and in full compliance with all FAA regulations. Upon approach to Fargo, the pilot was advised that they would not be able to land at the airport and spent approximately 18 minutes attempting to coordinate a landing clearance with air traffic control. After that time, the pilot made the decision to declare an emergency, allowing the flight to land immediately at Fargo rather than continuing attempts to coordinate a landing, which would have caused the aircraft to begin burning the 45 minutes of reserve fuel. The flight landed safely at 1:02 p.m. CDT with approximately 42 minutes fuel remaining.”
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