Panic as American Airlines Plane Catches Fire Mid-Flight

An American Airlines flight sparked panic after one of its engines caught fire shortly after takeoff from Las Vegas’ Harry Reid International Airport on Wednesday, June 25.

The plane, bound for Charlotte, North Carolina, was carrying 153 passengers and six crew members when flames began shooting from one of the engines shortly after departure. Passengers noticed the fire, prompting the pilots to quickly divert the aircraft back to the airport.

Dramatic footage shared on social media shows the jet trailing black smoke, with fire visibly spurting from the engine.

The plane landed safely, and officials confirmed that no one onboard was injured. An inspection was conducted upon return.

Construction worker Richard Pedrosa, speaking to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, said he heard a loud bang before spotting the aircraft overhead with one engine ablaze.

He said: “I was like, ‘Oh my god, it’s going to explode’, I was kind of scared because that’s the first time I’ve ever seen that, and I was hoping and praying that everybody was OK on the airplane.”

American Airlines stated that after inspecting the aircraft, their maintenance teams found no evidence that the engine had actually caught fire.

In a statement, the carrier said: “American Airlines flight 1665 returned to Las Vegas (LAS) shortly after takeoff due to a mechanical issue.

“The aircraft taxied to the gate under its own power and customers deplaned normally.

“We appreciate the professionalism of our crew and thank our team who are working to get our customers to their destinations as quickly as possible.”

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced that it will investigate the incident to determine the cause and assess any potential safety concerns.