HOW MANY PLANES IS THIS NOW? THREE OR IS IT FOUR?

Alaska Airlines flight makes emergency landing Tuesday, 8 February 2000 2:38 (ET)

Alaska Airlines flight makes emergency landing

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 7 (UPI) -- An Alaska Airlines jet on the same route as the one flown by Flight 261, which crashed a week ago, made an emergency landing in San Francisco after sparks were spotted coming from the tail of the plane shortly after taking off for Seattle.

Television station KNBC in Los Angeles said Monday night that Flight 289, formerly Flight 261, from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, to San Francisco and Seattle had to return to San Francisco International Airport.

The MD-80 jet landed safely and was met by emergency crews. The passengers left the plane at a gate without injury or incident.

KNBC said Alaska Airlines officials said the sparks appeared to have been caused by a bird that was sucked into one of the aircraft's two engines, but this report is preliminary. Flight 261 was renamed 289 after an MD-83 flying from Puerto Vallarta to San Francisco crashed last Monday off Ventura County, Calif., killing all 88 people aboard. The crash is believed to have been caused by a mechanical problem with the rear stabilizer but the investigation is continuing.

An apparent stabilizer problem Saturday night forced an Alaska Airlines jet flying from Reno to Seattle to turn around after about 20 minutes in the air; the passengers completed their flight on another plane.

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