Seven injured after plane's landing gear malfunctions

February 10, 2001 Web posted at: 8:26 PM EST (0126 GMT)

CHICAGO, Illinois (CNN) -- Seven people were injured Saturday when the landing gear on a United Express flight malfunctioned as it landed at O'Hare International Airport.

Airport spokeswoman Monique Bond said the flight originated from Lafayette, Indiana, and was carrying 15 passengers and two crew members.

Flight 6798 left Lafayette, made a scheduled stop in Springfield, Illinois, and then continued to O'Hare. Dick Fontaine, a spokesman for Great Lakes Aviation, said the twin-engine Beech 1900-D plane landed on its belly on the runway.

"I don't know if the landing gear collapsed or didn't come down," he said.

Three of the injured were taken to Lutheran General Hospital with minor injuries. A hospital spokeswoman called the injuries of the three "bumps and bruises."

The remaining four went to Resurrection Medical Center and were being evaluated, a hospital spokeswoman said. None of their injuries was believed to be life-threatening.

Fontaine said investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board were on the way to the airport.

http://www.cnn.com/2001/US/02/10/rough.landing/index.html

-- Doris (nocents@bellsouth.net), February 11, 2001