FAA: Smoke in jet cabin, cockpit leads to emergency landing at Philly airport

Federal safety investigators say a regional jet made an emergency landing in Philadelphia after smoke was reported in the cabin and the cockpit.

Airline officials say one passenger aboard Friday morning’s Piedmont Airlines flight from Richmond, Virginia, requested a medical evaluation but did not need to be hospitalized.

Investigators initially reported slides were used for the evacuation. But a spokeswoman for Piedmont’s parent company, American Airlines, said all passengers were evacuated by stairs.

The plane was carrying 50 passengers and had a crew of four.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it was also investigating a second emergency landing Friday in Philadelphia.

Airport spokeswoman Mary Flannery says a Republican Airlines jetliner reported steering problems but the pilot was able to resolve the problem and the landing didn’t require emergency activity.