A Seattle-bound Alaska Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing in Ketchikan on Sunday after experiencing a mechanical issue shortly after takeoff from Wrangell.
Flight 64, a Boeing 737-700 operating along the airline’s well-known Milk Run route, declared an in-flight emergency when its winglet flaps became stuck in the takeoff position. Just 13 minutes into the journey, the aircraft looped back and made a controlled descent, safely landing at Ketchikan International Airport.
One of the passengers, Wrangell resident Val Massie, recorded the pilot’s announcement after landing.
“For precautionary reasons, I did declare an emergency,” the pilot informed passengers. “We’re not going to take this airplane to Seattle until it gets fixed. I suspect that’ll be quite a delay.”
Alaska Airlines confirmed that its maintenance team conducted an inspection, after which the aircraft was cleared to continue its journey to Seattle following a two-hour delay.
Massie, however, opted to disembark and take an alternative flight the next day, citing concerns over recent aviation incidents, including the January 2024 incident involving an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9, which suffered a fuselage blowout over Oregon.
Despite the unexpected delay, Massie expressed gratitude for the pilot’s transparency. “It’s not something you want to hear on a flight,” she admitted, “but I appreciate the honesty.”
