Leak Forces Delta Plane To Make Emergency Landing At LAX

LOS ANGELES, CA — A Delta jetliner was forced to return to Los Angeles International Airport when an "an operational issue" surfaced just after takeoff Thursday afternoon.

Flight 1594 caring 131 people to Detroit Metropolitan Airport was able to land safely and is being towed off the runway, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The problem was a hydraulic leak, according to an airport official. Smoke came from the landing gear and firefighters sprayed water as a precaution, according to Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The flight took off at at 1:46 p.m. Firefighters called to the airport at 1:58 p.m. examined the Boeing 757-200 on the runway and found some leaked hydraulic fluid that apparently came from the jet's left landing gear, Humphrey said.

"It landed safely as of 2:39 p.m.," said Frederick Badlissi, public information officer for LAX.

Everyone remained onboard as the engine was cooled at a location away from the terminals, according to CBS. Firefighters planned to follow the plane as it was towed to a maintenance area, where the passengers and crew would deplane, he said.

The plane was caring 34,000 pounds of fuel when it landed, said Badlissi.

No injuries were reported.

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City News Service contributed to this report.