Source: Simon Hradecky | www.avherald.com

An American Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration N939NN performing flight AA-1580 from Chicago O’Hare,IL to Buffalo,NY (USA) with 149 people on board, was climbing through FL230 out of Chicago when the crew declared Mayday, Mayday reporting smoke in the cockpit and requested to return to Chicago. The crew subsequently requested vectors to Grand Rapids,MI (USA). ON approach to Grand Rapids the crew reported there was smoke in the cabin right now and needed emergency vehicles on stand by. The crew advised they would stop on the runway to see how it was going in the back. The aircraft landed on Grand Rapid’s runway 08R about 30 minutes after departure and about 20 minutes after declaring emergency. After landing the crew advised the cabin was now clear, they continued to taxi to the apron.

A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration N991NN reached Buffalo with a delay of about 2:45 hours.

The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Grand Rapids about 14 hours after landing.