GLENDALE, Arizona (AP): A small plane carrying U.S. Secret Service agents assigned to Republican presidential candidate John McCain made a forced landing in Arizona, but there were no injuries, an aviation official said.

The single-engine Cessna 206 had taken off Tuesday morning from Glendale Airport, near Phoenix, when the pilot noted a rough-running engine and tried to land in a vacant lot 2 miles (3 kilometers) from the runway, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said.

The plane hit a fence and was substantially damaged, but neither the pilot nor the two Phoenix-area Secret Service agents on board were injured, Gregor said.

The agents were heading to a potential event site for McCain.

McCain communications director Jill Hazelbaker issued a statement saying the Arizona senator and his wife, Cindy, were relieved to learn everyone was safe.