More than dozen injured in JetBlue landing

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The tires of a JetBlue airplane caught fire yesterday during a hard landing that left 15 people with minor injuries and sent passengers down emergency slides to escape the aircraft.

Passenger Michelle McDuffie said a thud was felt when the plane touched down here after a flight from Long Beach, but nobody thought there was an emergency until the crew shouted for everyone to exit on the inflatable slides. She saw the burning tires when she was on the ground.

"I thought, Oh I wish I had gotten my bag off. But I was just happy that I wasn't hurt," said McDuffie, 33, of Mission Viejo.

The plane appeared to experience trouble with its brakes, the airline said in a statement.

The 87 passengers were taken to the terminal by buses. Airport spokeswoman Gina Swankie, said five people were taken to a hospital. An elderly woman was seen being loaded onto a stretcher, complaining of neck pains.

Everyone was "able to slide down that slide and walk over to our triage," Sacramento Fire Department Capt. Jonathan Burgess said. - AP