WHITE PLAINS – A twin-engine Learjet aircraft that took off from Westchester County Airport in White Plains Tuesday afternoon returned to the airport after it reported having engine trouble while over Stewart Airport near Newburgh. As a precaution, the pilot shut down the engine.

An FAA spokeswoman said the pilot decided to return to Westchester, burned off fuel for a while and then landed safety at the airport.

Westchester Police spokesman Kieran O’Leary said the jet’s fuel load was too heavy to permit an immediate landing at Stewart.

It was en route to Nebraska. An hour after it took off, it landed back at White Plains without incident at 4 p.m.

The plane, registered to R.T. Vanderbilt Co. of Norwalk, CT., had seven people onboard – five passengers and two crew members. There were no reports of injuries.

Firefighters from the airport’s fire brigade as well as the Armonk, Purchase and Port Chester fire departments were on standby at the airport along with Westchester County Police, the county Department of Emergency Services and local EMS.