Fright Flight

Terrifying...


HAMBURG, Germany - A Lufthansa jet carrying 131 passengers was caught by gusting wind as it tried to land during a storm, causing a wing tip to graze the runway before the pilot got the plane back off the ground, the airline said Monday.

The incident happened on Saturday as the Airbus A320 approached Hamburg airport on a flight from Munich.

Airline spokesman Wolfgang Weber said the plane was rocked by wind clocked at 155 mph as it tried to land.

The left wing grazed the runway for a moment, but Weber said the pilot was able to stabilize the aircraft and take off again in what he called an "absolutely professional maneuver."

The plane landed safely shortly afterward on its second attempt.

"It was a dicey situation," Weber said. "People were quite shaken."

"It is hard to describe — it went very quickly," passenger Hansi Kuepper said on n-tv television. He said there was silence on board for several minutes after the incident.

The plane went back into service Sunday after repairs, Weber said.