Blown tire blamed for causing passenger planes landing gear to collapse in Halifax – Halifax [Video]

A blown tire is to blame for the collapse of a passenger plane’s landing gear as it touched down in Halifax last month, causing an engine fire and evacuation of the aircraft, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada says.

The Air Canada Express flight, operated by regional carrier PAL Airlines, had 73 passengers and four crew members on board, but no one was injured during the rough landing on Dec. 28 at Halifax Stanfield International Airport.

The independent board issued a brief report Thursday saying a tire on the left side of the De Havilland Dash 8 blew apart as the turboprop aircraft was taking off from the St. John’s International Airport in eastern Newfoundland.

Board investigators confirm finding tire fragments on the runway in St. John’s, but they also found that the crew were unaware of what had happened as the aircraft continued to its destination.

When the plane …