Amelia Earhart namesake completes flight around the world

OAKLAND, Calif. (KABC) -- A namesake of famous pilot Amelia Earhart completed a round-the-world flight Friday, landing in California.

Amelia Rose Earhart, 31, of Denver, Colorado, landed at Oakland International Airport after circling the world with co-pilot Shane Jordan in a Pilatus PC-12 single-engine plane.

The 24,300 mile trip took 18 days. She's now the youngest woman to have traveled around the world in a single-engine plane.

"I feel like we've brought Amelia Earhart home to Oakland," Earhart said after landing. "She brought me all this way, and I got to carry her forward."

Earhart and Jordan made 17 stops in 14 countries. The plane was equipped with GPS and other modern technology her namesake never had.

Earhart is a former traffic and weather reporter, and is not related to the famed aviator.

Earhart admits she was somewhat embarrassed by her name growing up, but began to love flying as a teenager.

Earhart said she hopes her achievement will inspire young girls to fly. She runs a nonprofit, the Fly With Amelia Foundation, that sends teenage girls to flight school.

In 1937, Amelia Mary Earhart attempted to circumnavigate the globe when she disappeared over the central Pacific Ocean near Howland Island.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.