Passenger Jet From L.A. Skids Off Phoenix Runway

A Southwest Airlines jet out of LAX skidded Sunday night off a Sky Harbor International Airport runway that had been shortened because of a construction project, authorities said.

Airline spokeswoman Linda Rutherford said “there were no injuries” among the 114 passengers and five crew members aboard Flight 2021 from Los Angeles.

She said 104 of the passengers were Phoenix-bound.

Sky Harbor spokeswoman Suzanne Luber said the pilots apparently misjudged the length of Runway No. 8 on the airport’s north end.

The runway used to be 11,500 feet but is now 6,000 feet because of an ongoing project that has been turning asphalt into concrete since January, according to Luber.

All of the passengers used a stairway to get off the plane safely and did not need to use emergency chutes, Luber said.

Airport officials said the 737 jet sustained some damage to its right wing, which hit some construction barriers.

“From preliminary reports, there is no significant damage,” said Rutherford, adding that the plane was taken to an airport hangar to be examined.

It was the second incident involving a Southwest plane at Sky Harbor in three days. On Friday, a flight had to make an emergency landing after smoke was reported in the rear of the passenger cabin. All 70 on board deplaned safely.