The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating an incident involving an American Airlines flight that departed Chicago O’Hare International Airport and returned shortly after due to a reported potential electrical issue.
American Airlines Flight 1047, a 14-year-old Boeing 737-800 en route to Las Vegas, turned back approximately 30 minutes into the flight on Sunday, December 1.
According to the FAA, the plane landed safely at O’Hare around 9:45 am local time. The airline later clarified that an indicator light detected a possible mechanical issue, which was determined to be a false alarm following inspection.
“An indicator light identified a possible mechanical issue that, after inspection, was confirmed to be false,” USA Today qouted an American Airlines spokesperson.
Passengers were subsequently accommodated on a replacement aircraft and resumed their journey to Las Vegas.
As per The Aviation Herald, the crew experienced multiple issues during the flight, including disconnections of the autopilot and autothrottle systems, a takeoff configuration warning horn, and doorlight activation.
Despite the complications, the flight returned safely without further incidents. The same aircraft reportedly resumed operations later that day, flying to San Francisco.
The incident occurred during the busy Thanksgiving travel period, which saw the FAA document a record 232,000 flights from November 24 to Thanksgiving Day.
American Airlines alone estimated it would transport 8.3 million passengers across 77,000 flights, with Sunday being the peak day for travel.
Recent Airline issues
This marks another incident for American Airlines amid a spate of reported issues.
Last month, a flight departing from Hawaii performed an “expedited climb” to avoid a nearby mountain. While the airline clarified that there were no terrain clearance issues, the FAA is also investigating that incident.
Additionally, just eight days before Sunday’s emergency return, an American Airlines passenger was hospitalised after a Boeing 777 encountered severe turbulence on a flight between Brazil and Miami.
The FAA continues to investigate Sunday’s flight, ensuring compliance with safety standards and procedures.