By: Sandra McCulloch / Times Colonist

An emergency landing of a privately owned Boeing 737 last week is being blamed on smoke and fumes in the cockpit. The aircraft, which is based in Victoria and owned by Pacific Sky Aviation, had taken off from Victoria International Airport on Wednesday evening and was headed to Peace River, Alta., when it was forced to turn around near Nanaimo. The pilot reported fumes in the cockpit and returned to Victoria, declaring an emergency. The aircraft landed without mishap and the 10 people on board were not harmed. Directors for Pacific Sky Aviation include David Curtis, CEO and president of Viking Air Ltd., manufacturer of de Havilland aircraft. The incident was followed on Thursday by a bird strike on a WestJet 737 as it landed in Victoria. There was no damage to the aircraft but a dead sparrow was found on the runway. The cause of the emergency was published online through the Civil Aviation Daily Occurrence Report System (CADORS).