Republic Airways 3439, operating as a United Express flight from Newark to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, departed around 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, then returned around 5 p.m. after crewmembers detected the smell of smoke in the cockpit, according to Republic Airways.
The airline says the plane, an Embraer E170, landed safely and taxied to a ramp area where a precautionary evacuation was conducted by the crew. Passengers and crewmembers were then taken to the Terminal C via a bus.
No injuries were reported, and the airline said they are working to rebook passengers and get them to their destination as quickly as possible.
Port Authority says the FAA temporarily held flight operations during the evacuation, and then re-opened airspace with flight activity just before 6 p.m.
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