FAA Investigating Incident That Occurred With 144 Passengers On Board

An Allegiant Air jet on a flight from Las Vegas to Hector International Airport in Fargo, ND with 144 passengers on board came close to exhausting its fuel because the airport was closed to most traffic when it arrived.

The FAA is investigating the incident, and Allegiant Air is reportedly fully cooperating with the agency, according to a report from Fox News.

The airport was closed temporarily by a Blue Angels practice session. On a recording from LiveATC.net, the controller tells the pilot that the airline should have been aware of the closure before the plane was given a departure clearance. The controller said there would be a window where the airliner could land in 20 minutes, but the pilot responded "I don't have 20 minutes."

The plane apparently did not have sufficient fuel reserves for a 20 minute hold or to make an alternate airport.

Allegiant said in an email to the Associated Press that it is "coordinating with the FAA and the airport to investigate all channels of communication regarding the flight and the circumstances leading to the declaration of emergency." But it did not say whether it knew that Fargo Airport was closed.

(Image from file)

FMI: www.faa.gov