Plane slides off taxiway in Kansas City amid winter storm

Kansas City, Mo. — A plane slid off an icy taxiway at Kansas City International Airport on Friday as a sprawling winter storm hit large sections of the Midwest and beyond, leading to the closure of schools, universities and government offices.

The Delta Air Lines flight was taxiing to be de-iced before flying to Detroit when the nosegear slipped off the taxiway, said Delta spokeswoman Martha Whitt. There were no reports of injuries aboard the Airbus A319, which was carrying 123 passengers and a crew of six. Whitt said the airline was trying to put passengers from Delta Flight 1114 on other planes.

The airport was closed and numerous flights were canceled in the morning, but flights resumed about noon. Most Friday flights from Nashville, Tenn., were canceled, likely disrupting travel plans for fans of the Tennessee Titans flying into Kansas City for Sunday’s AFC championship game with the Chiefs, KCTV reported.

Lambert International Airport in St. Louis reported more than 130 flights canceled as of noon Friday, and American Airlines suspended all flights to Missouri’s Columbia Regional Airport until noon Saturday.

The slippery conditions came after the National Weather Service issued winter weather advisories saying the storm would create hazardous travel conditions from the Plains into the Northeast through the weekend. Snow is forecast over much of the Great Lakes, with a blizzard warning for parts of the Upper Midwest.

In Kansas, Gov. Laura Kelly closed state offices in the Topeka area, urging people in a news release to “stay safe and warm, exercise caution and allow road crews to do their job.”

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