American Eagle ERJ-145 now operational after inspection

An American Eagle Embraer ERJ-145 returned to service after a temporary diversion to Richmond, Virginia. The plane was en route from Newport News to Charlotte when it experienced a possible maintenance issue. The flight took off on Sunday but changed course less than ten minutes into the journey. The aircraft was operated by Piedmont Airlines, a subsidiary of American Airlines. After landing safely in Richmond, the jet was taken out of service for inspections and returned to operation the next day. There were 47 passengers and three crew members onboard, and no injuries were reported. While the original flight was delayed by about three hours, Piedmont managed to dispatch another ERJ-145 from Richmond to continue the journey to Charlotte. The replacement aircraft arrived in Charlotte about an hour after departing. The exact nature of the maintenance issue remains unclear. The 19-year-old plane was inspected and later flew to Philadelphia before continuing its flight schedule. It has always operated under the American Eagle brand since its delivery in 2005, except for a short period in 2014 when it was managed by Envoy Air.