Mar 28, 2001 - 05:11 PM

Jetliner Loses Cabin Pressure; Minor Injuries Reported The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A United Airlines jet lost cabin pressure shortly after takeoff Wednesday and was forced to return to Los Angeles. Nine people suffered minor injuries, including nosebleeds and earaches. Flight 100, bound for Orlando, Fla., with 126 people, turned around about an hour into the flight. Ground officials were alerted when the Airbus A320 was at 14,000 feet, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

United spokesman Alan Wayne said the airline was looking into the cause of the pressure drop.

Six people, including a 22-month-old child, were taken to hospitals, authorities said.

Passenger Paul Lukas said the pressure in the jet kept changing.

"There was something funny about it," said Lukas, a Torrance businessman flying to Orlando for business. "Ten minutes into the flight, the oxygen containers dropped. Then I knew something was wrong."

Before the masks dropped, Lukas said, cold air came through the ventilation system. He also noticed a smoky odor.

Another passenger, Duane Gonyea, 50, said most of the passengers remained calm. He said he was reassured "just listening to the pilot."

AP-ES-03-28-01 1710EST © Copyright 2001 Associated Press. All rights reserved.

-- Anonymous, March 28, 2001