(NECN/NBC News: Chris Clackum) - New York's LaGuardia Airport is back open, fully operational today after being closed Monday in the wake of a spectacular crash landing of a passenger jet.
Late Monday night, the Southwest airlines flight, with 150 passengers and crew, slammed to the ground when its nose gear collapsed on touchdown.
It was a horrifying sight for passengers on other jets nearby.
"So we were all starting to panic. We didn't know if it was going to catch fire and we were right next to it," said witness Laura Cradeur.
"There was just this fireball going down the runway.. It was unbelievable," said Steve Czech who also witnessed the fiery landing.
After the aircraft stopped, those on board said it seemed to take forever for escape slides to deploy.
"The worst part was when the doors weren't being opened and the smoke was coming in. And you just didn't, you couldn't breathe," said passengers Andy and Marianne Sperry.
Local
Ten people on board suffered minor injuries in the accident.
The jet's black box has been delivered to the National Transportation Safety Board in Washington as investigators begin figuring out what caused the nose-gear collapse and whether other 737's are at risk.
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