What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-5)On September 13, 1998, about 1202 eastern daylight time, a Canadair CL600-2B19, N37228, operated by mesa airlines inc., as a 14 CFR part 121 regularly scheduled passenger flight, completed a precautionary landing at the Raleigh airport (rdu), north carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an IFR flight plan was filed. The airplane was not damaged. The flight crew of two, one flight attendant, and 40 passengers reported no injuries. The flight originated from birmingham, Alabama, at an unknown time, and was en route to philadelphia, pennsylania. According to the captain, at a cruise altitude of 33,000 feet, the crew got a cargo smoke indication light, and performed "cargo smoke memory items." They then declared an emergency with Washington center, and advised them that they would like to land as soon as possible at rdu, 60 miles southeast of their position. Their request was granted, they descended, prepared the passengers for an evacuation, and performed the rest of the check list items. The flight landed without incident at 1214, emergency units were standing by, and an evacuation was performed on the taxiway. Passengers were evacuated throught the main cabin door without incident. The cargo area was examined by fire unit personnel, and they found no indications of a fire in the cargo area, or any of the cargo. It was determined that the cargo smoke indicator had given a false indication. The airplane was taken out of service, and the passengers went to philadephia on other aircraft. The airplane was then ferried back to birmingham.
As the FAA filed it
(-5)ON SEPTEMBER 13, 1998, ABOUT 1202 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A CANADAIR CL600-2B19, N37228, OPERATED BY MESA AIRLINES INC., AS A 14 CFR PART 121 REGULARLY SCHEDULED PASSENGER FLIGHT, COMPLETED A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AT THE RALEIGH AIRPORT (RDU), NORTH CAROLINA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT DAMAGED. THE FLIGHT CREW OF TWO, ONE FLIGHT ATTENDANT, AND 40 PASSENGERS REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, AT AN UNKNOWN TIME, AND WAS EN ROUTE TO PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLANIA. ACCORDING TO THE CAPTAIN, AT A CRUISE ALTITUDE OF 33,000 FEET, THE CREW GOT A CARGO SMOKE INDICATION LIGHT, AND PERFORMED "CARGO SMOKE MEMORY ITEMS." THEY THEN DECLARED AN EMERGENCY WITH WASHINGTON CENTER, AND ADVISED THEM THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO LAND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AT RDU, 60 MILES SOUTHEAST OF THEIR POSITION. THEIR REQUEST WAS GRANTED, THEY DESCENDED, PREPARED THE PASSENGERS FOR AN EVACUATION, AND PERFORMED THE REST OF THE CHECK LIST ITEMS. THE FLIGHT LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT AT 1214, EMERGENCY UNITS WERE STANDING BY, AND AN EVACUATION WAS PERFORMED ON THE TAXIWAY. PASSENGERS WERE EVACUATED THROUGHT THE MAIN CABIN DOOR WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE CARGO AREA WAS EXAMINED BY FIRE UNIT PERSONNEL, AND THEY FOUND NO INDICATIONS OF A FIRE IN THE CARGO AREA, OR ANY OF THE CARGO. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CARGO SMOKE INDICATOR HAD GIVEN A FALSE INDICATION. THE AIRPLANE WAS TAKEN OUT OF SERVICE, AND THE PASSENGERS WENT TO PHILADEPHIA ON OTHER AIRCRAFT. THE AIRPLANE WAS THEN FERRIED BACK TO BIRMINGHAM.