Pop culture is filled with plot lines about planes and politicians. From hijacking to crashes, it's almost cliche to have a prominent fictional character come crashing down to earth. Even though we've seen it play out a dozen times before, it's still scary when it happens in real life.
The First Lady had a harrowing experience Wednesday morning after her plane was forced to land just minutes after taking off as smoke filled the cockpit. Witnesses describe a thick haze coming from the front of the plane and say they were told to cover their faces with wet towels.
The plane landed safety and no injuries have been reported.
Stephanie Grisham, communications director for Trump told CNN that the problem was a "minor mechanical issue" and said everyone on board was fine.
While everyone knows Air Force One as the president's plane there is no such equivalent for the first lady. She was flying on a Boeing C-32A, a military passenger jet that is frequently used by members of cabinet or other important figures.
Boeing makes most of the aircraft that the first family uses to fly, but back in 2017 a federal investigation found that 3 Boeing mechanics caused $4 million in damage and could have risked an in-air fire onboard Air Force One.
While working on one of the planes designated for Air Force One travel, the mechanics used improper tools to clean components of the oxygen system, resulting in the damage. Experts say such damage significantly increases the risk of fire.
"Boeing fully understands the level of responsibility that comes from working on the President's aircraft," Boeing told CNN in a statement at the time.
The exact cause of Melania's fire is still undisclosed.
Melania Trump was travelling to Philadelphia with a pool of reporters. Some of those reporters say that the plane was only airborne for 10 minutes before having to turn around. She was scheduled to attend an event on opioid addiction at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital where she would meet children who were exposed to opioids in utero.
The event appears to still be on but Trump will have to take a different plane home.
