An engine problem forced a small commercial plane with 21 people aboard to make an emergency landing Friday shortly after takeoff from Hibbing-Chisholm International Airport.
Northwest Flight 2706, carrying 18 passengers and three crew members, took off at 7:27 a.m. bound for Minneapolis when a mechanical problem in an engine forced it back to Hibbing about 8 a.m., said Leslie Parker, a spokeswoman for Delta Airlines, which merged with Northwest last year. The Saab 340 aircraft landed safely, she said, and no injuries were reported.
One of the plane's engines lost power, said Chris Petrack of the Hibbing Fire Department, which was called to the airport as a precaution.
"There was no fire reported, just the mechanical issue," Petrack said. "There was no fuel leak or other damage to the plane."
The passengers were bused to Duluth and placed on other flights, Parker said. She said Mesaba Aviation, which operates the flight for Northwest, is investigating the cause of the engine problem.
