QUEENS — The National Transportation Safety Board started its first full-day investigation into the Delta flight 1086 crash at LaGuardia after the plane was moved into a hangar at the airport, officials said Friday.
The plane slid off a runway after landing on a snowy Thursday morning and then slammed into an earthen berm, stopping just feet from Flushing Bay.
One of the plane’s wings was torn off and the aircraft was leaking fuel when responders arrived.
Five people were taken to area hospitals in stable condition and 23 others were treated at the scene.
“Delta teams have worked through the night to begin returning belongings to customers. Road conditions are gradually improving in New York City which will speed up this effort,” the airline said in a statement Friday.
“In the meantime, Delta has refunded each customer the full price of their airfare and remains in touch to assist customers with any other immediate needs.”
The runway was reopened Friday morning.
NTSB officials investigated the nose of the plane, which was also torn off, and a gash along the aircraft’s side, according to photos released by the agency Friday.
The runway was plowed just minutes before the accident, and two other pilots who landed before the flight reported good braking conditions, Port Authority Director Patrick Foye said after the crash.
Several passengers said they were shaken up after the accident.
"I think everybody was pretty much in survival mode," passenger Ishmael Lateef said after the crash.