Jet diverted to Toledo airport
Precaution blamed on landing-gear light, fog in Detroit

A Northwest Airlines flight was diverted to Toledo Express Airport yesterday after a landing gear warning light came on as it approached Detroit Metropolitan Airport in the fog, a spokesman for the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority said.
The 70-seat CRJ regional jet, which was filled to capacity and originated in Portland, Maine, landed at Toledo Express at 9:19 a.m. without incident as emergency personnel looked on, said Brian Schwartz, the spokesman for the port authority, which operates the airport.

Northwest denied the plane, operated by its partner, Pinnacle Airlines, was diverted because of a warning light, but instead listed the incident as merely weather-related, just like four other Northwest planes diverted to Toledo Express yesterday.

But after the plane landed, it was grounded for a mechanical issue and was not allowed to take off, said Mary Stanik, a spokesman for Northwest. Passengers on that plane were placed on the remaining four planes, which took off for Detroit later in the day, she said.

Mr. Schwartz said the plane's crew, responding to the warning light that indicated a landing gear malfunction, contacted a nearby control tower, which instructed the plane to land at Toledo Express.

The plane was one of 11 from various airlines diverted to Toledo yesterday morning, Mr. Schwartz said. "We're taking in a lot of Detroit's diversions lately. Our [airport] fire department and police department responded to the emergency. Our police department is cross- trained as firefighters. They were fully prepared with our responder units and fire trucks," Mr. Schwartz said.

Fonte: Toledoblade.com - 27/10/2004