Incident
During initial climb after departure from St Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) in St. Petersburg, Florida, flight attendants detected an odor described as "burning rubber" and notified the flight crew. The crew decided to return to PIE. Upon landing, two Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) vehicles met the aircraft as it stopped on the taxiway.
Communication and Evacuation
The captain communicated with ARFF personnel via the Air Traffic Control (ATC) ground control frequency. According to statements, the ARFF Lieutenant reported smoke coming from the #1 engine and requested engine shutdown for inspection. While the Lieutenant was examining the aircraft, the flight crew announced their intent to evacuate. A firefighter in ARFF vehicle 3 advised the crew to hold off until contacting the Lieutenant. The flight crew stated they asked for verification three times without hearing a response. The flight deck crew did not communicate with the cabin crew during this period to assess conditions. Believing the lack of response indicated ARFF was addressing a safety concern, the crew completed the evacuation checklist and instructed passengers and cabin crew to evacuate.
During the evacuation, one passenger sustained a serious injury (fractured wrist), while six passengers and one cabin crew member received minor injuries.
Aftermath
Allegiant Air subsequently implemented a Captain Leadership training program and established joint flight deck and cabin crew resource management training.