A late-night flight from Atlanta to Chattanooga on Thursday had to turn around and go back to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport because the runway lights at Lovell Field were turned off.
According to Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration oversees the runway lighting system and there was an internal miscommunication within that agency.
That resulted in the runway lights being turned off too early and the Delta Air Lines plane couldn't land, said airport spokesman Albert Waterhouse. The plane returned to Atlanta, refueled and finally landed in Chattanooga early this morning after the lights were turned back on.
"However, we have had a discussion with agency's management, and we are satisfied this will not happen again," Waterhouse said. "We regret any inconvenience for our passengers, and although delayed, we are glad they were able to land in Chattanooga later in the evening."
Delta flight 4757 took off from Atlanta on Thursday night at 11:35 p.m and was slated to touch down in Chattanooga about a half hour later early Friday morning, according to FlightAware.
The plane turned around, landed in Atlanta, refueled and then departed again from Atlanta at 1:17 a.m. for Chattanooga, landing at 1:46 a.m., FlightAware said.
Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Jim Peters said that a mistake at the Chattanooga airport control tower forced the plane to return to Atlanta.
"Prior to closing at 11:50 p.m. last night, the control tower at Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport turned off the runway lighting system, instead of switching the system to pilot control function, which enables flight crews to turn on the runway lighting before landing," he said.
Peters said that once the pilot control function was restored, Delta 4757 took off from Atlanta, landing safely at Chattanooga at 1:49 a.m.