American Airlines flight makes emergency landing at LAX

Passengers were evacuated this morning from an American Airlines jet that made an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport when smoke was detected in the cockpit.

The Boeing 757 was bound for Honolulu but turned back for LAX after the pilot reported the smoke, said Paul Haney, deputy airport director. American Flight 31 landed safely about 9:30 a.m., said Ian Gregor, a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman.

Passengers and crew exited the plane on emergency chutes. The crew members in the cockpit donned oxygen masks when they saw the smoke, Haney said.

Firefighters were on the tarmac to assist with the exit.

Both south runways were closed during the evacuation but were later reopened.

Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey said the pilot requested an emergency landing less than an hour after the plane’s scheduled 8:40 a.m. departure for Honolulu.

All passengers were evacuated “in a matter of minutes,” Humphrey said, noting that flight crew and passengers followed evacuation instructions safely and calmly.

Humphrey said firefighters used hand-held thermal imaging cameras with infrared technology and “scoured the cabin and cargo hold, and have yet to identify any active fire on the aircraft.”

Two minor injuries were reported among the seven crew members and 150 passengers on board.

 dan.weikel@latimes.com

 joanna.lin@latimes.com