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Passengers on an American Airlines regional jet evacuated on the runway, Tuesday, April 2, 2025, after experiencing, what they described as a burning smell and light smoke inside the cabin. (Sean O'Conor/TMX via CNN Newsource)
By Aaron Cooper, CNN
(CNN) — Passengers evacuated an American Airlines regional jet on the runway Tuesday in Augusta, Georgia, after smelling something burning and seeing light smoke in the cabin.
American Flight 5406, operated by PSA Airlines landed in Augusta after a 36-minute flight from Charlotte, according to flight tracking site FlightAware.
“The cabin was filled with smoke, and we climbed out on the wing,” passenger Sean O’Conor narrated as he recorded video of the evacuation. “It looks like everybody is safe.”
The CRJ-900 aircraft experienced “a maintenance issue after landing safely in Augusta,” the airline told CNN. “All passengers deplaned and were escorted to the airport terminal. The safety of our customers is our top priority, and we apologize for the inconvenience.”
The return flight to Charlotte on the plane was canceled, but that aircraft was back in service Wednesday, according to FlightAware.
On Wednesday, a different plane flying the same route from Charlotte to Augusta also experienced a mechanical issue, American Airlines told CNN. That aircraft, a CRJ-700, circled and returned to Charlotte after about 20 minutes in the air, according to FlightAware. Three hours later, it took off again and made it safely to Augusta.
The-CNN-Wire
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