Cabin smoke forces flight back to Arizona; passengers unhurt

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) - A commercial flight headed to Los Angeles filled with smoke, turned around and made an emergency landing in Tucson, Arizona, where some passengers had to jump from the airplane to the runway.

The United flight operated by SkyWest Airlines took off from the southern Arizona city Sunday morning.

The cabin filled with smoke, and the plane headed back to the Tucson International Airport. It landed about a half-hour after taking off.

The scene was chaotic as passengers used all exits to escape during the emergency evacuation.

But airport spokeswoman Jessie Butler says no injuries were reported and all 73 passengers, along with four crew members, declined medical assistance.

The passengers were shuttled to a terminal and rebooked on later flights. Emergency responders didn't find a fire. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the cause of the smoke.