A chartered airplane carrying Gov. Phil Bredesen to a campaign event in Jackson on Monday night suffered mechanical problems and had to return to Nashville, a campaign spokesman said.

The governor, first lady Andrea Conte and eight staffers were on board when pilots discovered a problem with the hydraulic system that controls the landing gear and brakes, said campaign spokesman Will Pinkston, who was also on board.

The 12-seat turboprop had already extended its landing gear on the approach to Jackson when pilots decided to return to Nashville International Airport and land on a longer runway that would give them more room to slow down.

The plane landed smoothly about 5:45 p.m. CST and came to a stop with some of the small amount of hydraulic pressure that was left in the system, Pinkston said.

"The two pilots on the plane were extraordinarily professional," he said. "They did a great job in getting the plane turned around and back to Nashville."

Bredesen got into a car to attend a previously scheduled gathering for staff and volunteers at his campaign headquarters in Nashville.

Pinkston said the governor was relaxed about the incident and jokingly called it "an inauspicious way to end the campaign."

Bredesen is running against Republican state Sen. Jim Bryson in Tuesday's election. The governor was scheduled to stay in Nashville Tuesday to vote and watch election returns with his staff and family.