A Delta Boeing 767 flight had to go back to Los Angeles right after takeoff. The plane was heading to Atlanta but turned around because one of its engines caught fire. It landed safely at LAX on Friday.
Delta Airlines Flight DL446 departed from Los Angeles International Airport at its scheduled time. Soon after leaving the ground, the crew noticed flames from the left engine. The aircraft was a Boeing 767-400 with the tail number N836MH.
Videos showed fire coming out of the left engine while the plane was still flying. No one got hurt. Fire crews at the airport were ready and put the fire out once the plane landed.
The YouTube channel “LA Flights” was live at the time. The video showed the emergency landing and fire teams acting fast.
What led to the emergency?
The flight left LAX on July 18. It was going to Atlanta. But after takeoff, the pilots saw signs of fire in the left engine. They acted quickly and declared an emergency.
The aircraft is about 24 years old and uses GE CF6 engines. Once the fire risk was known, the pilots talked to air traffic control. They got the okay to head back to the airport.
The plane made a safe turn back toward Los Angeles. Flight radar data showed it flew over the ocean first, then turned inland near Downey and Paramount. That quick call gave the crew just enough time to get everything ready.
The Delta Boeing 767 landed with emergency assistance. Fire trucks and airport staff checked the plane right away. They made sure the fire was fully out before the plane was moved.
No passengers or crew were hurt. Some passengers said the captain told them over the intercom that the fire was being checked.
Parts of the radio calls between the pilots and control tower were caught on livestream. These clips gave people a clear idea of how the emergency was handled.