Rockford International Airport area fire departments were on standby for an Allegiant passenger jet that had a possible engine fire Thursday evening shortly after takeoff. The Airbus A320 aircraft returned to Rockford Airport and landed safely.
Firefighters responded with a Box Alarm to the 3rd level to a report that an “MD-80” was inbound with a possible engine fire. The aircraft was actually an Allegiant Airbus A320 (Flight #1671) that departed Rockford Airport about 5:02 p.m. for Punta Gorda, Florida and returned to the airport to land safely.
According to online flight tracker FlightRadar24.com, the aircraft took off at 5:02 p.m., reached an altitude of about 2,500 feet, turned around toward the airport near Mount Morris, passed to the south of the airport heading northeast, then turned left back west toward the airport between Marengo and Belvidere, and landed safely.
Officials report about 140 people were on-board the flight and no injuries were reported immediately after the plane landed.
Fire department crew from Rockford, Belividere, Beloit (WI), Blackhawk, Boone County 2, Boone County 3, Byron, Cherry Valley, David Junction, Freeport, Harlem Roscoe, Kirkland, Loves Park, Monroe Center, Mount Morris, New Milford, North Park, Northwest, Oregon, Rockton, Shirland, Stillman Valley, Win-Ber-Sew,
EMS-only crews from ATS, Lifeline, and Metro also responded to the scene.
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