SOUTH BEND — Better safe than sorry. That was the idea behind an emergency landing made by a Delta Airlines jet at the South bend Regional Airport late Monday, which ended in a safe touch down for the 46 people on board.

Airport Director John Schalliol said Tuesday morning that the plane, a Bombardier CRJ-200, was enroute to South Bend from Atlanta shortly before 11 p.m. Monday and was preparing to make its landing when the pilot noticed a malfunction with the flaps on the plane.

The flaps are used to alter the flow of air over the wing during slow-speed flight, allowing the aircraft to maintain lift.

Schalliol said the pilot of the plane did not believe it was necessary to declare an emergency. However, air traffic control personnel decided to treat the landing as an emergency in case the malfunction caused problems.

The landing occurred without incident.