Commuter Plane Returns After Takeoff

The pilot of a regional commuter turbo-prop airliner that had just taken off from T.F. Green Airport last night returned to the airport after the plane’s instrumentation panel indicated that there was an engine fire.

However, there was no visible fire, and it was believed that the indicator light had malfunctioned, said Patti Goldstein, a spokeswoman for the Rhode Island Airport Corporation.

The plane was operated by Colgan Airlines on behalf of US Airways, Goldstein said. There were 13 passengers aboard. The plane was bound for LaGuardia Airport in New York City.

The flight had been scheduled to leave at 6 p.m., but it took off late, Goldstein said. According to flightstats.com, the plan departed at 6:35 p.m. The plane landed back at Green at about 7:16 p.m. The flight was listed as canceled.

The aircraft was a Beech 1900, a 19-seat regional commuter plane, according to flightstats.com

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