ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, October 21, 1996 TAG: 9610210131
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-3 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: ITHACA, N.Y.
A USAir flight made an emergency landing Sunday after an air-conditioning malfunction sent smoke into the passenger cabin.
USAir Flight 2075, en route to Rochester from New York City's LaGuardia International Airport, landed safely at the Tompkins County Airport, said USAir spokesman Dave Castelveter.
There were 87 passengers and five crew members aboard the 737-200 jetliner, Castelveter said.
The captain had leveled his ascent at about 10,000 feet to correct an air pressurization problem when the smoke was discovered, Castelveter said.
``The captain took this very seriously and diverted to Ithaca,'' Castelveter said, ``but we don't believe passenger safety was in jeopardy.''
He had no information on whether there had been other problems with the plane's air-conditioning system.
The plane had left LaGuardia shortly after one of that airport's runways was reopened at noon Sunday.
LaGuardia was shut down Saturday after a Delta Airlines jet suffered a landing gear failure in stormy weather and slid down a runway on its belly. Four passengers on that flight suffered minor injuries.
- Associated Press
LENGTH: Short : 34 linesby CNB