There is still no word on what caused an Air Canada plane to come to a stop on its fuselage after making an emergency landing in Edmonton Thursday evening.
At least four people were taken to hospital with minor injuries after the Air Canada Express flight from Calgary to Grande Prairie made a rough landing at Edmonton International Airport.
Emergency crews were on the scene immediately and the aircraft was quickly evacuated. The flight had 71 passengers and four crew on board at the time.
Three of the four injured have since been released from hospital. A fourth passenger remains in hospital for observation.
Airport spokeswoman Traci Bednard said the plane, a Bombardier Q400, experienced an unspecified problem upon landing.
CTV News has learned a blown tire during takeoff in Calgary may have been the reason for the emergency landing.
CTV Edmonton's Laura Tupper said passengers have said the pilot attempted to land slightly to the side to land on intact wheels, but the plane bounced and the landing gear became damaged.
Onlookers saw sparks flying from the back of the twin-engine turbo-prop plane when it touched down and skidded on the runway. Passengers also report that parts of one of the propellers appeared to damage the main fuselage of the plane.
A spokesperson for the Edmonton airport, Heather Hamilton, did not give details about the landing, saying only that the flight came in smoothly, "but had some additional trouble after landing."
By late Friday morning, the plane was still on its belly on the tarmac and the runway remained closed.
Three investigators from the Transportation Safety Board have been assigned to the incident. They are refusing to comment on reports the plane blew a tire.
Another Air Canada Express flight departed Edmonton late Thursday night to take some of the affected passengers on to Grande Prairie. Other passengers were put up in hotels overnight.
