Bevan was fertilizing his yard late Sunday afternoon when he spotted a jumbo jet flying low, dumping fuel from both wing tanks. Having been a navigator for 13years in the air force, he knew immediately that the plane was in serious trouble by how low it was flying while dumping fuel in a residential area.

He quickly called the FAA in case the plane was also lacking communications.


Here's some home video one man shot of the plane as it was dumping fuel over the suburb of Carrollton, Texas.

As it turned out, shortly after take off, the twin engine 777, bound for Sao Paulo, Brazil, experienced fire in one engine and in one of its landing gear, necessitating an immediate return to DFW.

An airline spokesman said there was a problem with one of the two engines on the jumbo jet, and the decision was made to dump its fuel and make an emergency landing at D/FW.

FAA spokesman Roland Herwig said the problem involved an engine and landing gear fire.

WFAA received numerous reports from people who saw Flight 963 flying at an unusually low altitude with streams of jet fuel exiting both wings.

According to tracking information published on the FlightAware.com Web site, the jet took off from D/FW headed south, crossed Highway 183 and then turned sharply to the east before it could cross Interstate 30. The aircraft traveled east for only 8 miles before turning due north and flying over Northwest Dallas, Farmers Branch and Carrollton.

The pilot then turned sharply west near the junction of Highway 121 and I-35E, traveled another 8 miles, and turned south over Flower Mound, headed back to the runway.

The brakes locked up as the 777 touched down, and a tire blew out. Emergency vehicles surrounded the aircraft.

No injuries were reported among the 264 passengers and 14 crew members on board.

American said passengers would be bused back to the terminal from the disabled plane on the runway.


posted on July 26, 2011 6:46 PM (PST)

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