Air Canada plane makes emergency landing in Calgary

Canada flight makes emergency landing

CALGARY, Alberta — An Air Canada flight from Calgary to Toronto made a successful emergency landing at Calgary’s airport Thursday after experiencing a problem with its hydraulics system, airport authorities said.

Flight 1150 with 158 people on board landed safely at the Calgary International Airport. No one was injured.

Calgary Airport Authority spokeswoman Jody Moseley said the pilot requested the emergency landing. Moseley said emergency response units stood by as it made a safe landing.

Air Canada spokeswoman Angela Mah said Flight 1150 had to return to Calgary’s airport because instruments were indicating a hydraulic problem.

“As per our standard operating procedures, the captain returned to Calgary as a precautionary measure,” Mah said in an e-mail. “It is important to note that the landing was routine and safe.”

Airport spokesman Stephan Poirier described tense moments as the airport activated its emergency services and waited for the plane to land. All the airport’s firefighting crews as well as 13 ambulances were on standby.

He said hydraulics problems are always serious.

“Hydraulics is what runs the aircraft systems — all of them,” he said. “It’s a fairly big thing.”

The aircraft was towed off the runway as a safety precaution. An Air Canada maintenance crew will be assessing the aircraft.

The airline is hoping to get passengers on another flight as soon as possible.