Charlotte-bound flight returns to Florence airport minutes after taking off due to mechanical problem

FLORENCE, S.C. (WBTW) — An American Airlines flight from Florence to Charlotte was forced to return to Florence Regional Airport Friday morning only minutes after taking off because of a mechanical problem, according to an airline official.

Flight 5749, an Embraer ERJ-145 twin-engine jet operated by Piedmont Airlines, took off at 6:53 but then circled back and landed safely at 7:17 a.m., the flight-tracking website FlightAware showed.

In a statement emailed to sister station News13, Piedmont Airlines said the aircraft returned to the airport shortly after takeoff because of a mechanical problem. There were 14 passengers and three crew members aboard the plane.

There were no injuries and the passengers were “accommodated on a new aircraft,” Piedmont said.

A post shared on the Facebook page of the Florence County Emergency Medical Services Facebook page indicated there was a smell of smoke resembling hot brakes before the pilot announced that the plane was returning to the airport.

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