Plane makes emergency landing in CamBay

IQALUIT — A First Air flight from Cambridge Bay to Gjoa Haven turned back this week due to fears that the plane was on fire.

The aircraft, a Hawker 748 carrying five passengers and three crew, made an emergency landing in Cambridge Bay after a fire-indicator light came on in the cockpit.

The fast touchdown blew one of the plane’s tires and sent smoke streaming from the wheel assembly, said Cambridge Bay fire chief Derek Elias.

As soon as the plane came to a stop the passengers were evacuated and taken to the terminal. No one on board was injured.

Elias credited the crew for dealing skillfully with the situation. “The first officer and the pilot did a good job of containing the emergency,” he said.

Other than the wheel the plane suffered no damage, and the fire-warning appeared to be a false alarm.

“It was a faulty indicator light,” said Jim Ballingall, First Air’s vice-president of operations.