An American Airlines flight was forced to divert back to Chicago O’Hare International Airport after what was described as a midair emergency.
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According to the New York Post, American Airlines Flight 1047 was scheduled to fly to Las Vegas from Chicago on Sunday, Dec. 1. However, the Boeing 737-800 ended up diverting back to Chicago after experiencing multiple door warning alerts just before flying over Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
A spokesperson for the airline company told Fox News Business that Flight 1047 returned to Chicago O’Hare International Airport due to a “possible maintenance issue.”
“The flight landed safely and taxied to the gate,” the spokesperson confirmed.
The spokesperson then shared more details about the incident with USA TODAY. “An indicator light identified a possible mechanical issue that, after inspection, was confirmed to be false,” the spokesperson explained. “The flight landed safely and customers later redeparted for LAS on a replacement aircraft.”
American Airlines later revealed that the flight’s passengers were able to travel to Las Vegas on a replacement aircraft.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is reportedly investigating the incident.
The FAA Is Also Investigating American Airlines Flight In Hawaii Incident, Which Occurred Weeks Before Chicago O’Hare Return
American Airlines Flight 1042’s incident comes just weeks after the FAA began investigating one of the airline’s flights to Hawaii.
Last month, The FAA confirmed to USA TODAY that American Airlines Flight 298, which departed from Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, was forced to execute an “expedited climb” after the flight’s pilot didn’t make an assigned turn.
An American Airlines spokesperson stated that the flight crew requested to turn right during the ascension out of Honolulu. The crew even received clearance. “During the climb out of Honolulu on November 13, the crew of American Airlines flight 298 requested and received right-turn clearance and complied with controller instructions.”
“There was no Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) alert,” the spokesperson disclosed. As there were no issues with terrain clearance based on the trajectory of the aircraft.”
The FAA further claimed that the air traffic controller from Daniel K. Inouye International Airport “ensured the aircraft remained safely above nearby terrain.
American Airlines added, “The safety of our customers and team members is our top priority.”
No further details about the incident have been reported since.