E-cigarette in luggage blamed for smoke, emergency landing

Hawaiian Airlines says an e-cigarette illegally put in a checked bag may have caused smoke and an emergency landing.

The cargo-smoke indicator in the cockpit lit up during a flight from Honolulu to Maui on Tuesday, an airline spokesman said Friday.

Alex Da Silva said the captain turned on the plane's fire-suppression system, declared an emergency and landed quickly at the Maui Airport.

After the plane landed, fire crews found two pieces of checked luggage that seemed to have fire damage caused by an e-cigarette in one of the bags, he said.

The Federal Aviation Administration bans electronic cigarettes from checked luggage, although they are allowed in carry-on bags.

Da Silva said that Maui police were investigating. Police did not immediately answer requests for comment.