Plane makes safe return to NJ's Newark Liberty Airport after crew smells smoke in cockpit

July 31, 2013 at 10:16PM

NEWARK, N.J. — A plane that had just taken off from New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport has been forced to return there after the flight crew smelled smoke in the cockpit.

Republic Airlines Flight 4872 had 22 passengers and four crew members aboard when it took off just before noon Wednesday.

The Q400 aircraft was being operated as a United Express flight. It was headed for Raleigh-Durham Airport in North Carolina. It returned to Newark and landed without incident.

The passengers switched planes to continue their travel.

Indianapolis-based Republic Airlines spokesman Peter Kowalchuk says maintenance crews are working to determine what caused the smoke.

An American Eagle flight from New York City to Montreal was diverted to an upstate New York airport after smoke was reported in the cockpit and cabin Tuesday. It landed safely.

about the writer

about the writer

More from Nation

In a story published Apr. 12, 2024, about an anesthesiologist charged with tampering with bags of intravenous fluids and causing cardiac emergencies, The Associated Press erroneously spelled the first surname of defendant Raynaldo Rivera Ortiz. It is Rivera, not Riviera.

card image
card image