NEED TO KNOW
- A Delta Air Lines flight was forced to turn around after one of its engines appeared to burst into flames shortly after takeoff
- The incident took place at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on July 18
- Video footage shared online shows the moment flames began to emerge from the left engine on Delta flight 446
The engine of a Delta Air Lines flight appeared to burst into flames shortly after the plane took off from California earlier this week.
On Friday, July 18, Delta flight 446 departed the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and then “safely landed” back on the runway around 2:10 p.m. local time, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The Boeing 767-400 was en route to Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) when a reported engine fire prompted its return, the FAA said, adding that it is investigating the incident.
In a statement shared with PEOPLE, a Delta spokesperson said, “Delta flight 446 returned to Los Angeles shortly after departure following an indication of an issue with the aircraft’s left engine. As nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and crew, the flight crew followed procedures and safely returned to the gate. We apologize to our customers for the delay in their travel plans.”
A spokesperson for LAX did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Sunday, July 20.
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Footage captured by YouTube channel L.A. Flights shows flames quickly appearing from the plane’s left engine after takeoff.
In the video, Josh — a co-owner of L.A. Flights, according to the BBC — can be heard reacting to the scene, calling the fire “not good.”
The clip also showed the aircraft being surrounded by LAX emergency vehicles as it made its way around the airport tarmac.
According to FlightAware, the plane took off around 1:23 p.m. and landed back at LAX at 2:06 p.m.
A Delta spokesperson told PEOPLE that the plane was carrying nine crew members — two pilots and seven flight attendants — as well as 226 passengers.
Passengers were able to deplane normally, and they were then accommodated on a new aircraft, per the spokesperson.
The Delta representative added that the local fire department and the airline’s maintenance team examined the aircraft following the incident.
