An Alaska Airlines flight, AS291, en route from Kansas City to Seattle had to execute a turnaround just half an hour after takeoff due to a suspected fuel leak. The aircraft, which had departed Kansas City International Airport (MCI) at 15:19 local time on Friday, was forced to return following early indications of the issue.
According to local news source KMBC, the pilots swiftly responded to the alert by shutting down the aircraft’s #1 engine as a precautionary measure. This decisive action facilitated a safe return to MCI, where the plane landed at approximately 16:30, thankfully without any injuries to passengers or crew.
The incident gained additional attention as Kansas City native and well-known rapper Tech N9ne was among the passengers. Tech N9ne shared his experience on his Facebook account, stating, “while in the middle of listening to some new music, a flight attendant informed me of a potential fuel leak.”
Flightradar24 data confirmed that the aircraft began its return to Kansas City shortly after the half-hour mark into the flight. Alaska Airlines affirmed that the pilots adhered strictly to emergency procedures, which included the engine shutdown, underscoring their commitment to safety in critical situations.