Source: Simon Hradecky | www.avherald.com

A Delta Airlines Boeing 717-200, registration N985AT performing flight DL-786 from Atlanta,GA to Lexington,KY (USA) with 95 people on board, was climbing out of Atlanta’s runway 26L when the crew stopped the climb at about 7500 feet reporting smoke in cockpit and cabin and decided to return to Atlanta. The aircraft landed safely on Atlanta’s runway 08L about 15 minutes after departure.

A replacement Boeing 717-200 registration N942AT performed the rotation to and from Lexington and remained in service.

The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground in Atlanta for about 23 hours before returning to service.

The FAA reported, stating the occurrence aircraft was N942AT at Lexington: “AIRCRAFT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY DUE TO SMOKE IN FLIGHT DECK AND CABIN, LEXINGTON, KY.”

ATC communication as well as FAA radar data confirm the occurrence happened in Atlanta to N985AT