(DEC 25) Pilots on Oxygen with Fumes IN The Cockpit | Alaska 2602 Declares Mayday

Alaska 2602: Fumes in the Cockpit, Oxygen and a Winter Diversion

On December 2, 2025, Alaska Airlines Flight 2602 developed a fumes problem in the cockpit while operating from Cincinnati toward Portland. The crew reported the condition as an in-flight emergency and used oxygen after the first officer was affected.

The aircraft had substantial fuel remaining, but the crew did not simply continue toward Portland. They requested a descent and began evaluating diversion airports and weather. Chicago Rockford became the selected destination because it offered a suitable runway and emergency-support capability.

ATC provided radar vectors while the crew managed the fumes problem and prepared for the diversion. The crew also requested delay vectors to reduce the amount of fuel before landing. This is a common operational consideration when an aircraft has a large amount of fuel remaining but needs to land at a nearer airport.

The aircraft was eventually cleared for the RNAV approach to runway 25 at Rockford. Winter weather was present, adding another consideration to an already unusual arrival. The aircraft landed safely, taxied clear of the runway and was escorted to parking.

The incident demonstrates the importance of treating fumes as an immediate cockpit-safety issue even when the aircraft remains controllable. The crew had enough time to select a suitable airport, coordinate with ATC and complete the diversion without rushing into an unsuitable landing.

The cockpit environment made the problem particularly significant. Fumes or unusual odours can be difficult to identify from the flight deck, and the crew cannot simply assume that a smell is harmless when one crewmember is already affected.

Using oxygen gave the affected first officer a protective measure while the crew evaluated the aircraft's next move. At the same time, the aircraft still had substantial fuel, so the crew had to balance the need to get on the ground with the need to avoid landing an aircraft carrying more fuel than necessary.

That is why the request for delay vectors is notable. The crew was not trying to prolong the emergency unnecessarily; it was using the available time to reduce landing weight while still remaining within the operational limits of the situation.

Rockford provided the combination of runway, approach capability and emergency services the crew wanted. Once the RNAV runway 25 approach was selected, the emergency became a controlled diversion rather than an improvised landing.

The safe taxi after landing completed the operational sequence. The aircraft did not require a runway evacuation or emergency stop, and the response teams were able to escort it to parking for further examination.

The crew's handling also shows the value of separating the immediate problem from the eventual landing problem. Oxygen addressed the crew's exposure while the diversion planning addressed where and how to land. ATC could then concentrate on routing the aircraft while the crew managed the cockpit condition.

Emergency services at Rockford were prepared before the aircraft arrived, so the response was already in place when the aircraft touched down. The successful taxi to parking meant the emergency could be transferred from flight operations to ground inspection without an evacuation.

“On 02 December 2025, Alaska Airlines Flight 2602, operating from Cincinnati, KY (CVG/KCVG) to Portland International Airport, OR (PDX), declared an in-flight emergency after the”

Accident Facts

Sources

• Video source (ATC/audio reconstruction)
• Rockford Scanner, 2 December 2025, emergency-response report.
• Public flight-tracking information cited by Rockford Scanner.
• Airline/ATC incident record associated with Flight 2602.
• Video/ATC recording