Jan 31, 2008 11:27 pm US/Eastern
Passengers Return Home After Frightening Flight
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS 3) ―
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Smoke in the cockpit forced a Philadelphia-bound American Airlines flight to make an emergency landing at Palm Beach International Airport.
CBS
Passengers stranded in Florida for hours are now back in Philadelphia after a frightening flight that began in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
A Philadelphia-bound American Airlines flight 1738 was forced to make an emergency landing at Palm Beach International Airport at about 8:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Smoke reportedly filled the cockpit of the plane, which was headed to Philadelphia. A window in the cockpit apparently shattered as the plane landed, but the cabin never lost pressure.
"Halfway into the flight, when we were over the water, you could smell something like burning, like on fire, and it got stronger and stronger," said passenger Rebecca Lopez.
Authorities said six people, including the pilot and co-pilot, were treated for injuries at a Florida area hospital and released.
After waiting in West Palm beach for several hours, passengers finally made their way back home to Philadelphia where they were greeted by loved ones at about 6 a.m. Thursday.
"It was scary, I'm not going to lie. Anybody on that flight that says they weren't scared, they're lying. It was scary. It was something out of a movie," said illusionist Wayne Hoffman, who was returning home after working on a cruise.
Many passengers believed they were living their final moments.
"I came to terms with it and wrote letters to my kids and wife," one passenger said.
The FAA is investigating whether a malfunctioning windshield heater was to blame for the incident.
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