Carolina Panthers confirm team plane veered off Charlotte taxiway, provide injury update

The Carolina Panthers issued a statement after their chartered team plane veered off the taxiway at Charlotte Douglas International Airport early Friday morning.

“The team can confirm that their chartered team plane, after landing safely, did run off the taxiway and into mud,” a Panthers spokesperson said in a statement to NFL.com. “The team can also confirm that no injuries were reported and one was hurt.”

WCNC Charlotte initially reported that a Delta flight carrying Panthers players ran off the taxiway and into mud. The plane landed around 2:35 a.m. ET before it went off the taxiway and into the mud. None of the 188 passengers aboard were injured and they were deplaned shortly after the incident.

“The right main gear of Delta 8860 exited the taxiway at Charlotte Douglas International Airport following a normal arrival,” Delta said in a statement. “No injuries were reported by the 188 customers who are deplaning and being bused to the terminal. We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience.”

The flight landed in Charlotte after taking off from Providence, Rhode Island, just after midnight. The Panthers made their preseason debut Thursday night against the New England Patriots in Foxboro. Carolina fell 17-3 to New England in a game in which head coach Dave Canales rested all of his starters.

Panthers sit starters in preseason loss to Patriots

Former Louisville quarterback Jack Plummer got the start under center for Carolina, completing 11-of-21 passes for 86 yards. He would make way for Jake Luton, signed three days earlier. Luton went 7-of-9 for 38 yards and led the Panthers down the field in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter, a drive which ended in a field goal.

“For these guys, the opportunity to play this many snaps in a preseason game for the guys that were up for this game, it’s invaluable,” Canales said. “Jack Plummer getting out there. He had a rough night, but it was just such – it’s his first NFL game. And hopefully, we’ll get to the point where we can show him the film and just kind of show him, ‘Hey man, trust your preparation, trust your timing from practice,’ and just to stay composed as the game goes along.

“He was able to put a good drive together. But then we had the grounding penalty that kind of kicked us out of that advantageous field position that we had. So, I just love the opportunity it gives for a lot of the guys for us to evaluate them.”

The Panthers host the New York Jets next Saturday in their second preseason tilt.