TSB takes over investigation into WestJet emergency landing in Kelowna

A federal transportation investigator is heading to Kelowna after a WestJet engine fire.

The Transportation Safety Board is investigating after the WestJet aircraft made an emergency landing at Kelowna International Airport yesterday, March 2.

The De Havilland DHC-8-402 aircraft was mid-flight when at least one engine caught fire, forcing an emergency landing.

Flight WS 3252 was on the way from Kamloops to Calgary after it's departure yesterday just after 3 p.m. The fire forced an emergency turnaround toward Kelowna, where it landed safely and there were no injuries, according to TSB spokesperson Chris Krepski.

The investigator is heading from Edmonton to "gather data and assess" what happened, so the federal agency can determine the scope of its investigation, Krepski said.

It's still early in the investigation, so Krepski didn't have many details to share about what happened yet, including whether the WestJet Encore flight even reached altitude before one of its two engines caught fire.

Kelowna RCMP did respond to the airport yesterday afternoon, but left the scene once officers found the flight landed safely without issue.

@stevenlaurie0 #fyp #plane #emergency ? original sound – Steven Laurie

— This store was updated at 4 p.m., March 3, with more information from the Transportation Safety Board.

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