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HEADLINE: Continental Flight Forced Back to Newark by Glitch

Saturday, April 15, 2000

The Associated Press

NEWARK -- A possible problem with a landing gear forced a Continental Airlines jet to return to Newark International Airport shortly after takeoff Friday, officials said.

With emergency crews standing by, the MD-80, carrying 116 passengers, landed without incident about 8:30 a.m. Flight 1141 had left Newark for Atlanta at 6:45 a.m.

The pilot declared an emergency immediately after takeoff after an indicator light showed a problem in retracting the nose gear, Continental spokeswoman Michele Treacy said.

The plane continued flying to burn fuel so it would not be too heavy to land, Treacy said. It did not dump fuel, she said.

Passenger Erica Conaty, 28, of New York said passengers assumed crash positions with their arms crossed on the seats in front of them, but the landing was very smooth, she said.

"It was extremely calm, and the flight attendants kept everyone calm," she said. "The captain did a perfect job."

The aircraft proceeded under its own power to a gate, and most passengers got on another jet and left for Atlanta at 9:45 a.m., Treacy said.

Conaty, marketing director for NBC cable, was not among them. "I already missed my meeting," she said.

The MD-80 was to be examined to determine what prompted the indicator light to go on, Treacy said.

Copyright ) 2000 Bergen Record Corp. http://www.bergen.com/region/return15200004155.htm

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-- (Dee360Degree@aol.com), April 15, 2000