Plane drives off taxiway at Pittsburgh International Airport, everyone off plane safely

A Boeing 717 with 77 people on board went off a taxiway before takeoff at Pittsburgh International Airport on Wednesday evening, according to a statement from airport officials.

No injuries were reported. The Delta Air Lines flight 2231 was about to depart for Atlanta when the incident happened near runway 10R at about 6:30 p.m.

You can see the “Delta” tail in the eerie low visibility. Most passengers are safely off @WPXI pic.twitter.com/yXXNX6xUuP

— Amy Hudak (@amy_hudak) February 11, 2021

Everyone on board had safely exited the plane and returned to the airport by 10 p.m., according to the airport. A bus took them back to the airside terminal.

Airport crews were working with Delta to remove the plane from the airfield Thursday, airport spokesman Bob Kerlik said.

“Heavy equipment to assist in that effort has arrived and additional equipment is expected later today,” he said.

In a statement, Delta said it is conducting a full review of Flight 2231 in coordination with the Allegheny County Airport Authority and other aviation stakeholders.

“Delta teams are working to safely move the aircraft from the ground surface near the taxiway by this afternoon. We will then be able to expedite checked bags to our customers,” the airline said.

Delta said many customers chose to continue their travel late Wednesday evening on an alternate aircraft it provided, while others left Thursday morning on a regularly scheduled flight.

Information about the cause of the incident and damage to the plane has not been released. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating, Kerlik said.

Two runways remain open at the airport and there is no impact to airport operations, Kerlik said.