Atlanta-bound Delta Air Lines flight makes emergency landing in LA after left engine catches fire
An Atlanta-bound Delta Air Lines flight had to make an emergency landing by returning to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) following a fire in an engine shortly after take-off on Friday.
In the video, Flight DL446, operated by a Boeing 767-400, could be seen airborne with flames coming from the aircraft's left engine.
However, no injuries were reported, and fire crews extinguished the fire on the runway.
❗️Boeing 787 Makes Emergency Landing in LA 🇺🇸 - Engine ON FIRE 🔥
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Video claims to show a Delta Airlines flight bound for Atlanta on Friday making an emergency landing at LAX. The engine reportedly caught fire shortly after take-off.
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According to a report by Aviation A2Z, the aircraft had just taken off from the airport when the engine caught fire.
The flight crew announced an emergency and prepared to return to the airport.
The Air Traffic Control (ATC) guided the plane back to the airport and alerted the emergency services on the ground.
Flightradar24 data shows that DL446 initially flew over the Pacific before returning, allowing time for the crew to complete checklists and prepare for a safe landing.
The aircraft maintained a controlled altitude and speed during the maneuver.
The cause of the fire is still not known, and the Federal Aviation Administration launched an investigation into the incident.
The aircraft is almost 25 years old and is powered by two General Electric CF6 engines.
"Delta flight 446 returned to Los Angeles shortly after departure following an indication of an issue with the aircraft's left engine," a Delta Air Lines spokesperson told the BBC.
This is the second such incident faced by Delta this year. In April, another Delta aircraft caught fire at Orlando International Airport. Delta Air Lines Flight 1213, the engine of the aircraft, caught fire on the ramp while it was preparing to depart for Atlanta.
The aircraft was an Airbus A330, which carried 282 passengers, 10 flight attendants, and two pilots at the time. No injuries were reported.
The incident also comes after a London-bound Air India flight, a Boeing Dreamliner, crashed soon after take-off from Ahmedabad airport on June 12. All but one of the 230 passengers and all 12 crew members died. An additional 19 people were killed and 67 seriously injured on the ground.
