Flight makes unscheduled landing after smoke reported in cabin

In this story: Plane sat on runway Decision based on warning light Memphis flight returned to gate RELATED STORIES, SITES

SANTA ANA, California (CNN) -- A passenger jet blew three tires when it landed Friday afternoon at a California airport, just hours after smoke alerts forced two other flights to make unscheduled landings in Atlanta, Georgia.

In the most serious of the incidents, officials closed John Wayne Airport to commercial traffic nearly all afternoon and diverted planes to other airports after the Boeing MD-90 operated by Delta Air Lines was crippled there, an airline spokesman said.

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No one was injured and all 42 passengers and six crew members exited Flight 887 from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport via rear stairs while fire crews on the runway sprayed foam on the tires -- one of which had caught fire.

Plane sat on runway

But the immobile plane sat on the airport's sole commercial runway from 12:20 p.m. (3:20 p.m. EST) until 4:35 p.m. (7:35 p.m. EST) as Delta brought in crews from nearby Los Angeles International Airport to jack it up and remove it from the runway, an airport spokeswoman said.

As a result, 33 flights were diverted to other airports, and 13 planned departures were delayed while Delta crews worked to move the plane, said airport spokeswoman Ann McCarley.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Jerry Snyder said the agency is investigating the cause of the tire blowouts.

In Atlanta, Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight 4251 aborted a departure Friday afternoon from Hartsfield International Airport when cockpit warning lights indicated smoke. ASA is a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines.

Decision based on warning light

The decision to abort the takeoff was based solely on the emergency lights that indicated "potential smoke," said an airline spokesman, who added, "No one saw it." But an FAA spokeswoman said the agency had received reports of smoke in cabin.

The five-year-old ATR-72-210 -- a high-wing, twin turboprop aircraft -- had been taxiing to the runway, preparing to take off for Gulfport, Mississippi, when the light went on, said ASA's Kent Landers.

The plane returned to the gate, where all 66 passengers and four crew evacuated via emergency exits. Two passengers reported minor ankle sprains. One was treated on the scene, while the other refused treatment.

The National Transportation Safety Board released the plane to ASA mechanics, who were planning to investigate the cause of the emergency light, said Landers. "Until that's done, we won't know about what the cause of this was," he said.

Passengers were taken to Gulfport later Friday on a different plane.

Memphis flight returned to gate

It was the second flight to report smoke in the cabin and return to Hartsfield on Friday, and the fifth flight in two weeks to make an unscheduled landing at Hartsfield after problems aboard the plane.

On Friday morning, a Northwest Airlines flight bound for Memphis, Tennessee, returned to the gate shortly after takeoff when smoke was detected in the cabin. No injuries were reported.

Flight 819 was carrying 38 passengers and five crew members. Smoke was reported around rows 8 to 12 shortly after takeoff around 7 a.m. The DC-9 turned around and landed at Hartsfield, said Northwest spokeswoman Kathy Peach.

"They returned to the gate and deplaned the passengers," she said. The passengers were rebooked on other flights, Peach said, and mechanics were investigating the source of the smoke.

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National Transportation Safety Board
Federal Aviation Administration
The Boeing Company
   • Boeing MD-80 and MD-90 Family
Los Angeles World Airports
Delta Air Lines
John Wayne Airport
Northwest Airlines
Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight Operations

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