Delta’s Boeing 767 makes emergency landing in Los Angeles as engine catches fire moments after takeoff | Watch

Atlanta-bound Boeing 767 operating as Delta flight 446 was forced to make an emergency landing in Los Angeles as a precautionary measure on Friday moments after takeoff due to engine failure.

The video shows flames emanating from one side of the aircraft. No one was injured. The fire was extinguished upon landing.

According to a report by Aviation A2Z, the plane (24-year-old Boeing 767-400 with registration N836MH) had just departed from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) when its left engine ignited. The pilots promptly declared an emergency and requested to return to the airport. Air Traffic Control (ATC) provided guidance for the aircraft to head back to LAX and notified ground emergency crews.

Data from Flightradar24 indicates that flight DL446 ascended over the Pacific Ocean before redirecting inland, flying over the areas of Downey and Paramount. This route allowed the flight crew to carry out necessary safety protocols and get ready for landing. Throughout the maneuver, the plane held a consistent altitude and airspeed.

“Delta flight 446 returned to Los Angeles shortly after departure following an indication of an issue with the aircraft’s left engine,” BBC quoted a Delta Air Lines spokesperson as saying. According to passengers, the captain told them that fire crews were “verifying that the engine fire is out”.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has initiated a probe to assess the fire cause. The plane is equipped with two General Electric CF6 engines, reports said.

Not the first Delta flight incident this year

In April, a separate Delta aircraft encountered an engine fire at Orlando International Airport. Delta Air Lines Flight 1213 was getting ready to depart for Atlanta when the fire erupted on the ramp. The aircraft involved, an Airbus A330, had 282 passengers on board, along with 10 flight attendants and two pilots. Everyone was safely evacuated, and no injuries occurred.

Emergency response and firefighting units at Orlando airport acted swiftly to manage the incident.