Overview
- Pilots on a SkyWest-operated American Eagle flight could not reach flight attendants and heard knocking on the cockpit door, leading them to declare an emergency and return shortly after takeoff.
- Airport police and fire crews met the aircraft at Eppley Airfield, and officials later confirmed there was no security-related incident.
- Flight-tracking data showed the jet turned around within minutes and landed roughly 18 minutes after departure, about 40 miles into the route.
- The FAA said the issue was traced to the plane’s inter-phone system, with SkyWest describing it as a flight-crew mic problem and apologizing for the disruption.
- After inspection and clearance, the same aircraft departed later that night and arrived at Los Angeles several hours behind schedule.