No injuries as engine fire grounds Vancouver-bound flight after takeoff

An Air Canada flight was turned back to Nanaimo, B.C., on Thursday morning after flames were spotted coming from one of the aircraft's engines.

Shortly after takeoff, the crew "received an indication" of an engine oil issue and then saw flames in an engine of the plane, a Dash 8-300 on a scheduled flight from Nanaimo to Vancouver, Air Canada Jazz spokeswoman Manon Stuart said in an e-mail.

"The crew extinguished the fire with the emergency fire bottles that are installed on each engine," added Glen Friesen, the Transportation Safety Board's acting regional manager.

The engine was shut down and the plane returned to the airport, which is located in the community of Cassidy, B.C., just south of Nanaimo.

Mr. Friesen said one engine is capable of sustaining flight in the Dash 8-300.

In accordance with airline procedure, emergency vehicles were on hand to meet the flight upon landing. There were no injuries to passengers or crew members. There were 35 passengers and three crew members on board.

Mr. Friesen said the TSB is working with the company to determine what caused the problem and will then decide on how it will follow up on the incident.

According to the Air Canada website, the Dash 8-300 has 50 seats, is manufactured by Bombardier and carries two Pratt & Whitney Turboprop engines. Its range is 1,389 kilometres and its cruising speed is 531 kilometres an hour.

With a report from The Canadian Press