MSNBC, CNN and Fox News are currently trained on the unfolding drama in Miami as American Airlines Flight 862 circles around after being diverted from its Palm Beach-Chicago course owing to landing gear issues. There are 133 passengers and 5 crew members, which we've now heard a few times in our office as the networks wait for something decisive to happen. In the meantime, dramatic shots of flying planes, emergency vehicles on the ground and control tower shots are filling the screen as the running updates from anchors and correspondents keep the story moving forward.
On MSNBC, they've got a bonus: A whole whack of "Today" Show hosts, correspondents and crew on site in Miami for their winter getaway shows, extended today thanks to weather in New York. On the scene: Lester Holt, whom MSNBC is clearly happy to have since anchor Norah O'Donnell keeps saying, "Lester Holt, who just happens to be in Miami!" plus phone coverage by NBC aviation correspondent Tom Costello, and updates from Monica Novotny. Holt was dispatched quickly to Miami airport to report some on the ground observations while Costello gave background — giving new (or is that old?) meaning to the phrase "reporting from 30,000 feet."
As I write, the story has just come to a — thank goodness — happy ending, with all three networks holding their collective breath as the plane descended, nose pulled up, the front wheel down and the rest of us bracing for contact. Tense! Reminiscent of JetBlue Flight 292, in which MSNBC also had unique, coincidental access: Passenger Todd Schwartz was the husband of MSNBC media relations director Leslie Zeller-Schwartz, and was patched through by his wife to Allison Stewart, who was covering at the time. MSNBC was also the only network available on the JetBlue seatback televisions, where passengers were able to learn if their plane was going to crash or not. Scary stuff. Also the stuff of irony, considering that CNN ended up winning an AP National Headliner Award for covering the event.Good times.
After it was over Fox moved on quickly to images of the wreckage from the Clinton motorcade tragedy this morning.