Senator's plane makes emergency landing

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, barnstorming for presidential candidate Mitt Romney, made an unexpected stop in Albuquerque Saturday when his plane developed in-flight problems and made an emergency landing.

The private plane touched safely down just before 4 p.m. after a cockpit sensor indicated an electrical problem, according to Daniel Jirón, a spokesman for the Albuquerque International Sunport.

Fire and rescue units were called out and standing by for the landing, Jirón added.

Rubio, mentioned as a possible vice presidential pick, was en route from a campaign stop in Las Vegas, Nev., to an appearance in Des Moines, Iowa, when the pilot declared the in-flight emergency.

Twitter messages sent by the senator indicated it was his second aircraft malfunction of the day although the only one involving an emergency landing.  A third aircraft would not be available in time to get him to the rally in Des Moines, he wrote.

It is not known how far from Albuquerque the plane was when the problem developed.

The plane landed without difficulty and taxied to an airport service company to be checked out, Jirón said.

A person answering the phone at the company declined to comment on whether Rubio's plane was there.