United Express flight with engine fire forced to land in Philadelphia

[April 29, 2015]  By Jeffrey Dastin
 
 (Reuters) - A plane with an engine on fire was forced to make an emergency landing on Tuesday at Philadelphia International Airport, where it landed safely, according to the airport and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.

The fire broke out in the No. 2 engine of United Airlines Express Flight No. 4882, bound for Newark, New Jersey, with 75 people on board, Philadelphia International Airport said on its Twitter feed.

"The cockpit received an overheat indication, prompting the shutdown of one engine," regional contractor Republic Airlines, which operated the flight on behalf of United Express, said in a news release. "All aboard deplaned on the runway... and alternate transportation arrangements are being made for the passengers."

The Bombardier Inc Q400 plane departed from Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, after 2:30 p.m. EDT.
 

The plane was sprayed with foam when it landed shortly after 4 p.m. EDT, said Mary Flannery, an airport spokeswoman.

"We needed the foam because we got the alert from the pilots that the flight was being diverted since the engine was on fire," she said.

The passengers were evacuated safely in Philadelphia, the airport said.

Officials said one passenger with a history of heart problems was taken to a hospital.

The plane was powered by engines made by Pratt & Whitney, a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp.

"Pratt & Whitney Canada is working with authorities, the operator and the aircraft manufacturer in order to assess the situation," spokesman Marc Duchesne said in a statement.

Bombardier spokeswoman Marianella Delabarrera described the Q400 as a "robust and reliable aircraft" and said the cause of the incident would be investigated.

Some flights were delayed and airport activity was temporarily halted, but the airport said it was back in full operation by about 5 p.m. EDT.

"Maintenance is reviewing the issue, as the safety of our customers and crew is always our No. 1 priority," Republic said.

(Additional reporting by Ellen Wulfhorst, Suzannah Gonzales, Allison Lampert and Lewis Krauskopf; Editing by Fiona Ortiz, Eric Beech, Sandra Maler and Lisa Shumaker)

[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.