Coast Guard plane carrying Markwayne Mullin makes emergency landing after engine failure - CBS News

The aircraft, a C-37A, was carrying Mullin and other top DHS officials when the pilot radioed Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to report losing the right engine. "We just lost our right engine and would like to declare an emergency and immediate landing at DCA," the pilot told the control tower, according to an audio recording of the exchange. The plane had 14 people on board.

The pilot also reported carrying 2.5 hours' worth of fuel when the emergency was declared. The C-37A is the military version of a civilian aircraft, and it landed without further incident.

Mullin, a former Oklahoma congressman, was confirmed as Homeland Security Secretary earlier this year. Having a Cabinet secretary on board during an engine failure puts this squarely in the category of incidents that get full federal attention fast, and the quick coordination with Reagan National's control tower likely kept a serious situation from becoming worse.

The plane had enough fuel and enough runway options near the capital that the crew had room to work. Fourteen people walked away from a single-engine emergency landing, which is the outcome pilots train for.