American Airlines Flight From Dallas To El Paso Has To Turn Back Around Because Of In-Flight Problem

Flying is a lot of fun, except when parts fall off the plane you're on and forces the pilot to turn back around. That's what happened to an American Airlines flight from Dallas-Fort Worth to El Paso today.

American Airlines flight 5348 from DFW International Airport was already en route to El Paso this afternoon and had been in the air for about an hour when caution lights in the cockpit indicated a problem. At first, officials said a piece of the jet's rudder fell from the aircraft. Rudders are important - I don't know what they do, but they're on an airplane, and I'm assuming that no matter what, you don't want that falling off the dang plane!

Officials with American Airlines kind of backed off that explanation later this afternoon, and now say there was a possible mechanical issue and that they are investigating.

The plane landed safely around 1 o'clock El Paso time and all the passengers were allowed to get off the plane. There were no injuries reported.