Frontier Airlines flight makes terrifying hard landing in Puerto Rico

Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News on Apr 17, 2025

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A Frontiers Airlines flight from Florida to Puerto Rico made three attempts at landing before finally touching down hard to the relief of frightened passengers.

Videos shot aboard Flight 3506 Tuesday night shows children crying and adult passengers phoning loved ones as the Airbus A321 hit the ground so hard its landing gear broke, according to ABC News.

Other planes were delayed or rerouted while the troubled flight circled over Luis Marin International Airport before apparently leaving debris in its wake after hitting the runway.

Audio obtained by ABC News recorded a controller explaining to another crew that the pilot of Flight 3506 reported an emergency situation prior to its sticky landing.

“The last aircraft that tried to land in San Juan hit the surface too hard and apparently lost some things on the runway,” the controller said.

Passenger Jeffrey Cerda expressed gratitude for finally landing in Puerto Rico around 10 p.m.

“Being able to get off that plane, touch the ground, and feel safe is a feeling I can’t explain,” he wrote on Instagram. “What I experienced on that plane trying to land was really intense. I even called my family while still in the air, not knowing if I’d make it out safely, to tell them what was happening and try to stay calm.”

Spanish language station WAPA reported that a “young” co-pilot is believed to have been operating the plane when things went awry and that the pilot is to thank for getting the situation under control. An aviation investigator reportedly said the aircraft wasn’t stabilized for the descent, which cause one of its wheels to break and send fragments into an engine.

Federal Aviation officials are investigating the incident.

“On the evening of April 15, Flight 3506 from Orlando to San Juan experienced a hard landing upon arrival,” the airline said in a statement. “The aircraft landed safely and there were no injuries to the passengers or crew.”

Business Insider said Frontier offered $500 vouchers to the passengers who endured Tuesday’s bumpy landing.