Allegiant Air Flight 426 requested permission to land on Fargo's Hector International Airport in North Dakota on July 23 and told ground officials that the plane has no "fuel to go anywhere else," when it was advised to fly to another airport 70 miles away, as per Daily Mail.
Federal officials conducted an investigation on why an Allegiant Air passenger jet was running on a low fuel when it requested to land at a temporarily closed airport. Although Fargo airport was the plane's intended terminal, it was temporarily out of service for the Navy Blue Angels flying team practice.
Allegiant Air carried 144 passengers to safety last Thursday after a trip from Las Vegas.
An air traffic controller was overheard to be speaking to an Allegiant pilot that his company should have prior knowledge regarding the closure, as per a captured audio by LiveATC.net. The pilot replied:"I don't have 20 minutes," when advised that there would be an open slot for landing in Fargo within 20 minutes
In a statement released to The Associated Press, as reported by FOX News, the airline which is based in Las Vegas said: "At this time, we are 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."
Allegiant Air Flight 426 was the latest and probably the most bizarre in a series of emergency landings for the affordable airline during June and July. It also baffled the FAA officials as to how a Boeing MD-80 be running empty, the fact that jetliners must have a load of kerosene enough for it to fly well above their destination.
Also adding to the befuddlement, Elizabeth Cory, FAA spokeswoman said, Allegiant Air's flight operations department told Fargo controllers that the airplane had ample supply of extra fuel
"We follow up with the airlines on all such events," Lynn Lunsford, an FAA spokesman said. "Any further action depends on the circumstances."
FAA regulations states that US commercial aircraft must have enough fuel to finish their flight plan and also to arrive at a pre-designated detour airport, add to that a reserve to fly above 45 minutes further, as per The Sydney Morning Herald.
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