CommuteAir jet makes emergency return to Houston due to smoke in cockpit

A regional jet bound for Florida returned safely to Houston after the crew reported smoke in the cockpit, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The incident involved CommuteAir Flight 4969, an Embraer ERJ-145, which departed George Bush Intercontinental Airport around 2 p.m. on Wednesday for Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport in Panama City.

The flight landed back in Houston around 2:15 p.m. after the crew reported smoke in the cockpit, the FAA said, adding that the agency will investigate. No injuries were reported.

“They are having electrical issues. They are losing electrical,” the air traffic control tower told emergency crews preparing for the plane’s arrival, according to recordings obtained by LiveATC.net and cited by CNN. In a statement, CommuteAir said the landing was “due [to] a potential maintenance issue.”

Footage posted on Citizen App showed the aircraft parked at the gate with black smoke visible, as fire crews and other emergency responders surrounded the plane.

The ERJ-145 is a twin-engine regional jet commonly used for short-haul routes in the United States. CommuteAir, based in Ohio, operates as a United Express carrier.