JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Channel 4 photographer reported seeing flames as an American Airlines flight headed from Miami to Chicago landed Tuesday afternoon at Jacksonville International Airport, but the airline said the flight was diverted to JAX because a passenger spilled a soda on an electrical item.
"Out of abundance of caution, the crew made the decision to divert to JAX," airline spokesman Ross Feinstein said in a statement.
The Jacksonville Fire-Rescue was told there was a possibility of a fire in the cockpit when its crews were dispatched to the airport.
American Airlines said 149 passengers and six crew members were aboard the plane when it landed just after 5 p.m. in Jacksonville.
The spokesman said a maintenance team was inspecting the aircraft and a different plane was sent from Miami to take the passengers to Chicago O’Hare International Airport.
The passengers were provided food at the gate while they waited for the new aircraft to arrive in Jacksonville.
The News4Jax crew was at the airport reporting on a story about weather-related flight delays and saw the plane land.
