Landing mishap at NYC airport during snowstorm raises questions on runway closures

The rough landing of a Delta jetliner at LaGuardia Airport in a driving snowstorm has raised questions about when airports should close runways due to snow or ice.

Six people were hurt when the plane skidded off a runaway Thursday and crashed through a chain-link fence, its nose coming to rest just feet from an icy bay.

Officials say the runway had been plowed minutes before, and two other pilots had reported good braking conditions.

There's no rule about how much snow or ice leads to a runway closing. Instead, the FAA requires airports to measure runways during winter storms to assure planes can brake safely.

As passenger Jane Kaufman, of Gainesville, Florida, walked across the snow-covered runway she said she wondered, "Who decided it was safe to land here?"