A heart-stopping incident unfolded in the skies above Las Vegas as flames erupted from an American Airlines passenger jet carrying 159 people aboard.
According to the Daily Mail, Flight 1665 bound for Charlotte, North Carolina, was forced to make an emergency landing shortly after takeoff from Harry Reid International Airport when fire was spotted coming from one of its engines on Wednesday morning.
The aircraft, carrying 153 passengers and six crew members, had to quickly turn around after witnesses reported seeing flames shooting from the engine. Social media footage captured the dramatic scene showing black smoke trailing behind the plane as fire visibly spurted from its side during the emergency.
Construction worker Richard Pedrosa was among those who witnessed the terrifying incident from the ground below. He described hearing a loud bang before looking up to see the commercial airliner with flames coming from its engine.
"I was like, 'Oh my god, it's going to explode,'" Pedrosa told The Las Vegas Review-Journal about the frightening moment. He added that he had never witnessed anything like it before and prayed for the safety of everyone onboard.
The eyewitness accounts and social media footage painted a dramatic picture of the emergency situation as it unfolded in the morning sky above Las Vegas. Bystanders watched anxiously as the crippled aircraft made its way back to the airport.
The flight crew's quick decision to return to Harry Reid International Airport likely prevented a more serious incident from developing. The pilots managed to safely land the aircraft despite the apparent engine troubles.
American Airlines confirmed that the plane was able to taxi to the gate under its own power once on the ground. All passengers were able to deplane normally without any reported injuries.
Officials from the Federal Aviation Administration have announced they will be conducting a thorough investigation into what caused the apparent engine fire. The incident has raised questions about aircraft maintenance and safety protocols.
American Airlines maintenance teams conducted an inspection of the aircraft after landing but reported finding no evidence that the engine had actually caught fire. This assessment appears to contradict witness accounts and video footage of flames coming from the engine.
The airline released a statement acknowledging only that Flight 1665 returned to Las Vegas "due to a mechanical issue." They thanked their crew for their professionalism in handling the situation.
Experts suggest that what witnesses observed could have been a compressor stall rather than an actual fire, though this has not been officially confirmed. Such incidents can produce visible flames without necessarily indicating an engine fire.
The dramatic mid-air incident above Las Vegas highlighted both the risks and safety protocols involved in commercial aviation. While the sight of flames coming from a passenger jet engine naturally caused alarm, the successful emergency landing demonstrated how pilots and crew are trained to handle such situations.
The Federal Aviation Administration's investigation will aim to determine the exact cause of the apparent engine fire. Their findings could have implications for aircraft maintenance and inspection procedures.
Meanwhile, American Airlines has expressed appreciation for their crew's handling of the emergency while working to accommodate affected passengers on alternative flights to their destinations.
