NTSB: Medical emergency forced taxiway landing

By Christian Boone

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A medical emergency forced a Delta Air Lines flight to land on a taxiway  Monday morning at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, the National Transportation Safety Board has revealed.

A check airman in the flight deck of the Delta B-767 en route from Rio de Janeiro became ill and had to be relocated to the cabin, according to the NTSB.

The flight was then cleared to land on runway 27R but instead landed on a parallel taxiway immediately north.

The runway lights were illuminated though the localizer and approach lights were not turned on, the NTSB reported.

None of the 183 passengers or 12 crew members was injured and there were no other aircraft on the taxiway.

The pilot and co-pilot were "relieved of active flying pending the completion of the investigations," said Delta spokesman Anthony Black, "and we're cooperating with the investigations."

The Federal Aviation Administration is also investigating. Spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said Tuesday a plane should not have landed on the taxiway, regardless of the medical emergency.