PORTLAND, Ore. — An Alaska Airlines flight had to make an emergency landing, shortly after leaving Portland International Airport (PDX) Wednesday evening.
Flight No. 646 was heading from PDX to Phoenix when, shortly after takeoff, an "odor" — referred to as "fumes" by the Port of Portland — was detected onboard, according to Alaska Airlines. The crew declared an emergency, and the plane returned to PDX.
Seven, including passengers and crew members, requested medical evaluation. No one was transported for medical care, the Port of Portland said.
Passengers who exited the plane were able to catch another flight.
The Port of Portland Fire Department, as well as Portland Fire and Rescue, investigated the cause of the smell but did not find anything, according to the Port of Portland. Alaska Airlines maintenance then began inspecting the aircraft, the airline said.
"We apologize to our guests for the inconvenience," Alaska Airlines said via email.
Thursday evening, Alaska Airlines reported that the aircraft has been returned to service.
"We found a cabin air circulation fan that failed," the airline said. "We replaced the fan and air filters and complied with the maintenance manual, and no further odors presented."
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