Image that tends to confirm T4 taxiway (locator sign at far right under wing) with (unintelligible - <13? <2? <T3?) directional arrow.
From the signage in the picture it looks to me like they went off the right side of taxiway T4 inbound to the ramp just past the intersection with J.
Umm. Maybe some
PR spin on that? Flaps still seem to be fully extended and location looks quite remote. Maybe completely wrong of course!
If it's where I think it is, the ramp is near and pax could walk to the terminal if allowed and able.
I would think that the flaps would normally be raised by the time you were that near the ramp unless it was a very short (or fast) taxi. One of the news accounts said they landed on runway 13, that would indeed be a short taxi, looks like plenty of runway to make the turnoff for a short flight from HOU.
In past incidents that I can remember loss of directional control taxiing in has been caused in some cases by shutting down an engine and losing hydraulics when some valve or relay sticks or a switch is out of position.
I've never flown the '73. Is this a -300 with CFM's from the shape of the engines?