Sep 27, 2000 - 06:47 AM

Delta Flight Bound for Hawaii Returns to Los Angeles

By Louinn Lota

Associated Press Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A Delta Airlines jet headed for Hawaii made an emergency landing in Los Angeles when pilots heard a grinding noise and then smelled a burning odor in the cockpit.

Flight 1579 bound for Honolulu left Los Angeles International Airport about 2:20 p.m. Tuesday for a five-hour flight on the Lockheed L-1011 wide body aircraft, said Bill Kress, general manager of flight operations communications.

The jetliner was at 19,000 feet when "all three crew members heard a grinding noise behind the flight engineer's position and began to smell some electrical fumes. At no time did anyone see smoke or flames," Kress said Wednesday.

The cockpit crew heard the noise about 20 minutes into the flight while off the Santa Barbara County coast. Pilots headed back and made the landing about 3 p.m., Kress said.

The 226 passengers were transferred to another plane and completed their trips.

Kress said engineers were concentrating on a circuit breaker panel.

The FAA was investigating.

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-- Carl Jenkins (Somewherepress@aol.com), September 27, 2000