Additional Coverage:
- Horrifying footage of plane on fire after takeoff in Las Vegas with ‘explosion sounds’ (themirror.com)
Las Vegas Flight Makes Emergency Landing After Engine Trouble
A Las Vegas-bound flight had a dramatic return to Harry Reid International Airport Wednesday morning after experiencing engine issues shortly after takeoff. American Airlines Flight 1665, headed for Charlotte, North Carolina, departed at 8:20 a.m. local time but was forced to turn back.
According to airport spokesperson Luke Nimmo, the plane landed safely with all 165 passengers unharmed. Social media videos captured flames and smoke erupting from the plane’s left engine, accompanied by a loud boom.
Fire crews inspected the engines upon the plane’s return, and Nimmo confirmed the aircraft taxied back to the gate without assistance. The Federal Aviation Administration is currently investigating the incident.
In other aviation news, investigations continue into several recent incidents, including a fatal small plane crash near Green Valley, Arizona earlier this month and a near-fatal incident involving an Air India flight experiencing an explosion shortly after takeoff. Closer to home, the National Transportation Safety Board recently cited “multiple system failures” as the cause of a door plug panel detaching from an Alaska Airlines plane shortly after takeoff in January 2024. That incident, which occurred over Oregon, resulted in an emergency landing but no serious injuries.