http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-a9_5plane.6944290jun28,0,6577708.story Plane makes emergency landing at Lehigh Valley International Airport by Christopher Baxter <christopher.baxter@xxxxxxxxx> OF THE MORNING CALL 3:00 AM EDT, June 28, 2009 An Allegiant Air plane made an emergency landing shortly after takeoff Saturday at Lehigh Valley International Airport after a piece of one of the tires got sucked into an engine and caused it to fail, fire and airline officials said. None of the 149 passengers or five crew members on board was injured. Moments after the plane's 7:55 p.m. departure to Orlando, Fla., the crew reported vibrations and a banging noise, said Tyri Squyres, spokeswoman for Allegiant. Squyres said a preliminary investigation found that the tire tread from the left wheel broke free and was sucked into the left engine's compressor, which caused it to fail. Emergency crews on the ground responded about 8 p.m. and saw flames shooting from the failed engine as it returned to the airport, said David Huber, assistant chief of Han-Le-Co Fire Company. The McDonnell Douglas MD-82 landed safely minutes later and the engine showed no flames once on the ground, Huber said. Edwin Madera of Whitehall Township said he was walking outside his home when he saw the plane flying low with smoke coming from the left engine. He said it made a sharp turn and that he feared it was going to crash. ''The engine was making this exploding popping sound, like it was backfiring,'' said Madera, who joined neighbors in the street as the plane passed overhead. ''It sounded like a dynamite explosion. I freaked out. I couldn't even move.'' The popping sound reverberated throughout the area, even momentarily catching the attention of fans and players at the Lehigh Valley IronPigs game at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown. Squyres said the plane was designed to be able to fly with one engine and that its safety ''was not in question.'' She said the pilot followed all of the airline's emergency landing procedures. Passengers were waiting Saturday night to be rerouted to Orlando. Copyright =A9 2009, The Morning Call <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> If you wish to unsubscribe from the AIRLINE List, please send an E-mail to: "listserv@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx". Within the body of the text, only write the following:"SIGNOFF AIRLINE".