Boutique Air calls its plane safe

By TOM LAVENTURE

tlaventure@yourdailyglobe.com

Ironwood — Landing safely after losing a tire is a testament to the airplane and its crew, according to an official from Boutique Air.

The remarks were in response to the news that Boutique Air Flight 835 from Ironwood to Chicago O’Hare International Airport had landed safely after losing a tire over a Chicago neighborhood on Thursday evening. Following a lengthy wait on the runway the five passengers and two pilots aboard the single engine Pilatus PC-12 turboprop were shuttled to the terminal.

“The investigation as to the cause is underway,” said Tom Warren, vice president of business development for Boutique Air. “We are working in conjunction with authorities to gather facts and determine exactly what occurred.”

Boutique Air is the Essential Air Service airline that is contracted with the Gogebic-Iron County Airport. The airline assumed service in August and has several other air routes nationwide.

Much of the Boutique Air fleet consists of the single-turboprop Pilatus PC-12. The plane that lost the tire was registered as N451SS, a 2004 Pilatus Flugzeugwerke AG PC-12-45 aircraft seats 11. The plane has been in service with Boutique since Dec. 29, 2017. The most recent maintenance was reported as Dec. 8, 2020 and its current flight certificate doesn’t expire until Dec. 31, 2023.

The plane had five flights between Ironwood, Minneapolis and Chicago on Jan. 21. Despite the lost tire, the 4:59 p.m. flight to Chicago reportedly landed on time at 6:17 p.m. The final flight was also coded as United Airlines Flight UA2963.

“Our Swiss made Pilatus aircraft are amongst the safest aircraft built,” Warren said. “In 12 years of commercial operations, Boutique maintains a record of zero passenger injuries and zero passenger fatalities.”

Boutique flights to and from Minneapolis, and Chicago are continuing as scheduled.