Feds say escape chute on rerouted Delta jet opened incorrectly

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - An evacuation chute opened inside the Delta Air Lines jet forced to make an emergency landing last weekend, hindering the passengers&#39; escape and perhaps contributing to injuries, federal investigators said. <br> <br> The chutes are supposed to open outside the airplane. <br> <br> The MD-11 jet, bound for London from Atlanta, landed around 7:45 p.m. on March 31 after the pilot reported a possible engine fire. <br> <br> The passengers evacuated on chutes designed to inflate automatically when emergency doors on the plane are opened. Fourteen of the 245 passengers and crew members aboard were injured during an eight-minute evacuation. <br> <br> ``Apparently, one of the slides opened inside the aircraft, which may have contributed to a few of the injuries,&#39;&#39; said Keith Holloway, a spokesman for the National Transportation Safety Board.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/4/196412