Delta Flight Returns to Ky.; Smoke in Cockpit

June 28, 2006
A flight attendant smelled smoke and noticed a small amount of smoke in the cabin when the aircraft reached about 500 feet.

A Delta Connection flight made an emergency landing at the Louisville airport shortly after takeoff Tuesday after a flight attendant saw smoke inside the plane and smoke detector went off in a lavatory, officials said.

There were no reported injuries aboard the flight, which had 49 passengers plus crew, said Trish Burke, a spokeswoman for the Louisville Regional Airport Authority.

"It immediately returned to the field, landed safely, the passengers were safely evacuated," Burke said.

The flight, operated by Chautauqua Airlines for Delta Airlines, was headed to Cincinnati, Chautauqua spokesman Warren Wilkinson said.

Wilkinson said a flight attendant smelled smoke and noticed a small amount of smoke in the cabin when the aircraft reached about 500 feet. Then a lavatory smoke detector went off, he said.

"Whenever we have a situation like this, we err on the side of safety," Wilkinson said.

A maintenance crew was examining the aircraft in Louisville to find out what caused the smoke, Wilkinson said. He said it may have been from oil getting into the air conditioner.

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