A Delta Air Lines plane forced to double back and make an emergency landing was filled with such thick smoke that pilots needed to wear oxygen masks, a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board has revealed. Crew members onboard the Boeing 717 flight from Atlanta to South Carolina in February first noticed smoke near a front cabin door shortly after takeoff. The smoke soon began to pour from the plane’s air vents and fill the cabin with a thick haze, with the lead flight attendant struggling to see passengers beyond the first row, according to the report. Attendants tried to inform the pilots, but were initially prevented from doing so as the cockpit was focused on emergency protocols and flying the aircraft. The pilots wore the oxygen masks as a precaution, according to the Associated Press. Amid rising panic, flight attendants reassured passengers they were trained for such emergencies and urged everyone to stay calm as the plane quickly turned around and returned to Atlanta. Firefighters met the plane on the ground, and as pilots opened the door to the flight deck, they “noticed a tremendous amount of smoke in the cabin, and the captain immediately ordered an evacuation,” according to the report. All 99 passengers were evacuated safely, although two received minor injuries while departing the craft. The cause of the smoke remains under investigation, although an oil leak was reported on the plane’s right engine shortly after the craft turned around, the NTSB reports. The investigation is expected to conclude next year.
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