Flight forced to land after engine problem

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Aug. 4 (UPI) -- An airplane had to return to Kansas City (Mo.) International Airport after its pilot was forced to shut down an engine due to a malfunction, officials say.

Airport spokesman Joe McBride said United Flight 505 from Kansas City to Denver returned to the airport a half hour after takeoff when its pilot noticed a "check compressor" light had activated, The Kansas City Star said Monday.

Passenger Bill Kalthoff said he heard a loud band early on in Sunday night's flight and then saw fire begin to come from one of the plane's engines.

United spokeswoman Robin Urbanski denied such reports of a midair fire, saying the pilot followed established protocol by shutting down the afflicted engine and returning to the airport.

"There was no emergency," Urbanski told the Star.

The newspaper said the plane was undergoing an inspection to determine what caused the compressor light to activate.