Federal Aviation Administration officials believe an engine that sheared off a plane early Thursday may be resting at the bottom of Lake Michigan.

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"We've heard reports that it landed in Lake Michigan, but we don't know that for a fact," said Detroit Metropolitan Airport representative Barbara Hogan.

Kalitta Air flight 825 was en route to New York's JFK Airport after refueling in Chicago when the number one engine fell from the plane, Local 4 reported.

The plane's electronics warned of engine trouble just before midnight, the station reported.

Pilots were forced to make an emergency landing at Detroit Metropolitan Airport.

The FAA and police are searching from Lake Michigan to the Battle Creek area for the engine, the station reported. State police have no reports of where the engine fell.

"They are very big airplanes," said Hogan.

A representative from the FAA came to inspect the plane at Detroit Metropolitan Airport, according to Hogan. She said the National Transportation Safety Board was expected to further the investigation.

Three flight crew and two mechanics were onboard the 747-100 aircraft that was transporting merchandise from China to New York. No injuries were reported.

Kalitta Air executives were meeting Thursday to review the plane's maintenance records and determine what caused the engine to fall.

Kalitta Air, which is based at Willow Run Airport in Ypsilanti, began service in November 200 with three jets. Eight additional jets have since been added to the fleet.

The company is owned by local drag-racing legend Conrad Kalitta.