Feds don’t investigate jet after emergency stop
Microwave oven reportedly to blame for smoke in the cockpit
The American Airlines jetliner which made an emergency landing at Yuma International Airport Monday remained on the tarmac for a good part of Tuesday, but it was not inspected by federal safety inspectors due to the nature of the mishap which grounded it.
American Airlines Flight 436, originating in San Diego, made the unscheduled stop just before noon after the flight crew reported smoke in the cockpit, believed to be coming from the plane’s microwave oven.
Airport spokeswoman Gen Grosse said in this case there was no requirement to contact the National Transportation Safety Board to inspect the Airbus A320 twin-jet engine aircraft.
Marine Corps Air Station Yuma shares its base and runway with Yuma International Airport. Base spokesman Capt. Gabe Adibe said Marine air traffic controllers were contacted by the pilot at 11:35 a.m. Monday with a request to land at the airport, due to smoke in the cockpit.
MCAS Yuma immediately sent out three P-19 trucks from its Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) unit to the scene, with four crew members on each, Adibe said.
There were a total of 15 ARFF personnel at the scene, he said. Some of the Marine firefighters boarded the plane, found no smoke or damage, and gave the “all-clear” for those aboard to disembark, Adibe said.
Afterward, American Airlines sent another plane to Yuma to take the approximately 150 passengers on to their ultimate destination of Charlotte, which took off at 6:01 p.m. local time and landed in North Carolina five hours late, at 12:56 p.m. EDT, according to the American Airlines website.
Grosse said airport staff and personnel from American Airlines, the Transportation Safety Administration and airport food vendor Brewers worked together to make the unexpected visitors’ stay as pleasant as they could.
The original airplane was scheduled to be flown back on Tuesday, but no one had arrived to claim it as of 2 p.m., according to Grosse.