United Airlines flights evacuation slide falls into backyard of home before landing in Chicago

An emergency evacuation slide fell from an airliner on Monday and landed in the backyard of a home near Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, causing no injuries but damaging a roof, officials and witnesses said.

The Federal Aviation Administration said a United Airlines Boeing 767 had landed safely at O’Hare on Monday on arrival from Switzerland when maintenance workers realised an emergency slide was missing from the plane’s side.

The aircraft was carrying 155 passengers and 10 crew.

WLS-TV reported that Patrick Devitt was not home at the time but his son and father-in-law were present and heard a “boom” soon after noon. Devitt dragged the slide from his backyard to the front.

He said the slide hit part of the house, damaging the roof, downspout and a window screen.

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“When it’s all stretched out, like it’s a little jumbled up I’m sure in the picture from when we dragged it out, it’s larger than a small car. It’s a very, very big piece of equipment,” Devitt told WLS.

United said it was seeking to find out exactly how the slide ended up in the neighbourhood.

“We immediately contacted the FAA and are working with our team to better understand the circumstances around this matter,” United said in a statement.

The FAA said, without releasing more details, that it was continuing to investigate.

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