After a mechanical issue forced a Delta Air Lines Boeing 767-300 to divert to Salt Lake City, the emergency exit slide was inadvertently deployed inside the cabin, striking a flight attendant like an airbag.
After Delta Air Lines 767-300 Diversion, Emergency Slide Opens Inside Passenger Cabin
Delta 520 took off from New York (JFK) bound for Los Angeles (LAX) at 7:00 am on Saturday, June 10, 2023. The flight was operated by a 767-300 jet (registration N189DN). More than halfway through the flight, technical difficulties (a faulty temperature instrument) forced a diversion to Salt Lake City (SLC), where Delta operates a hub.
The problem was quickly addressed and the flight was about to take of again, when a caterer inadvertently deployed the emergency slide. Harrowingly, it deployed inside the aircraft, forcefully striking a flight attendant like a strong airbag. The flight attendant was hospitalized (but later released).
Passengers claim they heard an explosion followed by screams from a flight attendant, prompting panic onboard.
first time seeing an emergency slide deployed by accident INSIDE the plane 😳 @Delta pic.twitter.com/DoE3ob2X1V
— dan m↺reno (@danmorenooo) June 10, 2023
My first time too!
That took the aircraft out of service: passengers were accommodated to their final destinations on other flights while LA-bound passengers ultimately continued DL520 on a Boeing 737-800.
Delta released a very general statement on the incident:
Delta flight 520, operating from New York-JFK to Los Angeles diverted to Salt Lake City due to a maintenance issue.
While on the ground, the same aircraft’s slide was deployed by accident. In an effort to get our customers to their final destination as quickly and safely as possible, they have been re-accommodated on a new aircraft. We apologize for the delay to their traveling plans. Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and people.
View From The Wing notes that passengers were only offered 7,500 SkyMiles in compensation for the issue…
CONCLUSION
A Delta 767 emergency slide opened inside the cabin, injuring a flight attendant and causing panic onboard. It appears that ground staff (caterers) were responsible for this. I’ve seen a lot of accidental slide deployments over the years, but never one inside the aircraft.
image: @danmorenooo / Twitter
Now the safety video at the beginning of the flight needs to include what pax are supposed to do in the case of unwanted inflatable devices deploying in cabin.
Interesting, I thought the B767 door, when opened from the outside, automatically disarms the slide. Could be the girt bar did not fully retract.
Black, lesbian, and leftist. Brittney Griner is the ideal American woman.
Did the caterer inadvertently pour Pepsi on the door (SNL) ????
Were delta one customers re accommodated in lie flat seating and able to use the sky club in arrival in LAX? Haha
Lol. The 737-800 has SQ-style suites.
How does a caterer inadvertently deployed the emergency slide? What business did he/she had in touching the lever that releases the slide? I mean, this is not like a light switch which someone just flips it. It is way more elaborated to release it which I have my questions it was “inadvertently”. It look like more curiosity and not minding its own business of simply catering the plane.
From what I have seen lately with the new DL FA recruits…anything is possible….
The flight was airborne I am assuming; it would never be allowed to take off in that condition. Just by reading the news on the websites, I have heard a lot of aircraft have broken parts from hydraulics to anything else putting them out of service, hopefully before takeoff. Scary.
There is another way the slide could have deployed, & it’s not the Caterer touching the lever or the girt bar not being fully retracted. I’ve worked in Catering for AA for 10 yrs. The airbags are fastened by Velcro inside the door, & I’ve seen Velcro come lose to the point of the bag inflating. Believe it or not, when the aircraft goes to the Maintenance Hangar, it will cost Delta $10,000 to replace it!