Oslo - A small plane, parked in a hangar in northern Denmark, caused a scare Monday after it transmitted distress signals that were picked up by other planes, reports said.

Several planes flying over Kristiansand, southern Norway including a plane operated by carrier British Airways picked up the signals and alerted the southern Norwegian Joint Rescue Coordination Centre based in Stavanger.

The centre was able to establish that no planes were missing in Norwegian airspace and contacted Danish colleagues who said a search operation had been cancelled after the sports plane was found safely, a rescue centre officer told Norwegian news agency NTB.

The single-engine Piper Saratoga was found safely parked in a hangar in northern Jutland. Apparently the pilot had forgotten to turn off the distress signal beacon, the report said. (dpa)