On Saturday, American Airlines Flight 271, an Airbus A320, experienced a hard landing on Runway 20 at Kahului Airport in Hawaii, resulting in six injuries. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is currently investigating the incident.
Breezy conditions were reported at the time of the landing, with winds around 26 mph, according to the National Weather Service. It remains unclear whether the wind played a role in the hard landing.
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American Airlines stated that the flight, which was en route from Los Angeles (LAX) to Maui (OGG), encountered an issue upon landing, but the aircraft taxied to the gate under its power, and passengers deplaned normally. The airline reported that all six individuals, including five flight attendants and one passenger, who were initially hospitalized have been released.
The Airbus A320, a widely-used model with 6,739 units sold as of late 2023, is now under inspection by American Airlines’ maintenance team. The airline emphasized that the safety of customers and team members is its top priority.
The Aviation Safety Network noted that the last serious incident involving an Airbus A320 in the U.S. occurred in August 2019 when a collision took place between an A320 and a Boeing 737 while taxiing at San Francisco International Airport, with no reported injuries.
