Spirit flight leaves Detroit airport, forced to return after losing cabin pressure

Passengers on board say flight had strong turbulence, oxygen masks deployed

ROMULUS, Mich. – A Spirit Airlines flight that took off from Detroit Metro Airport Friday morning was forced to return and make an emergency landing after it lost cabin pressure. 

Flight 417 left at about 6:30 a.m. en route to Ft. Lauderdale. 

"Everything seemed alright at first. And then we got up in the air and the turbulence was bad. The plane started bouncing around in the air," said passenger Isaac Fuller. 

Passengers on the flight told Local 4 they smelled strange fumes even before take off, but it wasn't until they were airborne that the captain announced the flight was being returned to Detroit. 

Fuller said when the oxygen masks fell, things got "spooky." 

"It was a really scary experience," he said. 

Spirit is working to re-book the diverted passengers on other flights. 

Local 4 is waiting for a statement from Spirit Airlines. 


About the Authors

Jason is Local 4’s utility infielder. In addition to anchoring the morning newscast, he often reports on a variety of stories from the tragic, like the shootings at Michigan State, to the off-beat, like great gas station food.

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