Stockton-bound plane fills with smoke, returns

STOCKTON — Passengers on a flight from Las Vegas to Stockton got a scare on Saturday when the presence of smoke forced their plane to return to the airport.

Patricia Clark and her husband, who were in Las Vegas to celebrate their wedding anniversary, were aboard an Allegiant Air flight that departed at 11:48 a.m. when after about 5-10 minutes in the air, smoke could be seen inside the aircraft, she said.

It wasn’t thick, but it was present and it smelled like something was burning, Clark said from Las Vegas on Saturday afternoon while she waited for a return flight home.

According to a flight tracker, the aircraft involved was an Airbus A319 originally scheduled to land in Stockton at 1:05 p.m.

In a written statement, Sonya Padgett with Allegiant said that shortly after leaving the airport, Allegiant Flight 63, with 154 passengers and crew on board, experienced a mechanical issue.

“Out of an abundance of caution, an emergency was declared and the pilot returned to the airport,” according to the statement. “The aircraft landed safely and without incident. It taxied to the gate under its own power and passengers deplaned normally.”

Padgett said there were no injuries and a replacement aircraft completed the flight to Stockton.