Compass Airlines Flight 2040

Location: Fargo, North Dakota
Date: May 7, 2008
Aircraft: Embraer 175

On May 7, 2008, Compass Airlines Flight 2040 made an emergency landing in Fargo, North Dakota, because a fire had broken out in the rear lavatory of the Embraer 175 aircraft. The aircraft was approximately 35 minutes into the flight from Minneapolis, MN, to Regina, Saskatchewan, when the fired started. The pilots were forced to perform an emergency landing, descending a significant 30,000 ft in approximately eight minutes. They were able to safely land the aircraft.

There were 72 passengers and four crewmembers on board the Compass Airlines flight. Compass Airlines’ first revenue flight was in May 2007 and the airline is a wholly owned subsidiary of Northwest Airlines.

Prosecutors have charged Eder Rojas, a 19-year-old male flight attendant, with setting the fire. They allege he started it using paper towels and a lighter he smuggled on board and because he was upset with the route the airline assigned him. Rojas has entered a not guilty plea. During an initial hearing, prosecutors revealed that Rojas was onboard another Compass Airline flight a few months earlier which also experienced a lavatory fire; that fire is still under investigation. Eder Rojas’ criminal trial was delayed until September 2008 but will be further postponed because he fled on the eve of his trial.