American Airlines Plane Catches Fire, Returns to Airport
Within minutes of takeoff, witnesses reported hearing loud booming noises, described as similar to gunshots or fireworks, accompanied by visible smoke and sparks from the aircraft’s right engine.
DIGITAL DESK – An American Airlines flight bound for Charlotte, North Carolina, was forced to make an emergency landing at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas on Wednesday morning after a mechanical issue caused sparks and smoke to emanate from one of its engines, alarming passengers and ground observers.
Flight 1665, an Airbus A321 carrying 153 passengers and six crew members, departed Las Vegas at approximately 7:57 AM PDT. Within minutes of takeoff, witnesses reported hearing loud booming noises, described as similar to gunshots or fireworks, accompanied by visible smoke and sparks from the aircraft’s right engine.
Passenger Lane Hayes, seated near the wing, recounted a “popping noise that sounded like a gunshot” and saw “flashes of light coming from the engine where it was sparking,” creating an “extremely tense” atmosphere onboard.
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Ground observers, including Richard Pedrosa, a construction worker near Ninth Street and Oakey Boulevard, reported seeing flames and smoke trailing from the plane, with Pedrosa fearing the aircraft might explode after hearing “back-to-back booms.”
Matthew Villasista, at the Las Vegas National Golf Club, described similar booming noises and smoke, while social media posts on X captured videos of the incident, with users noting the plane’s low altitude near the Las Vegas Strip causing windows to shake.
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The flight, airborne for about 10 minutes, looped back to Harry Reid International Airport and landed safely at 8:20 AM PDT, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The Las Vegas Fire Department inspected the aircraft’s engine upon landing, and the plane taxied to the gate under its own power, allowing passengers to deplane normally. No injuries were reported.
American Airlines confirmed the incident was due to a “mechanical issue” but stated that maintenance teams found “no evidence of fire in the engine,” a claim that contrasts with eyewitness accounts and video evidence of flames and smoke. The aircraft has been taken out of service for further evaluation, and passengers were rebooked on a recovery flight scheduled for June 26, 2025, at 1:00 PM.
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The FAA is investigating the incident to determine the cause of the engine issue. American Airlines praised the professionalism of its crew and thanked passengers for their cooperation. The incident, occurring amid peak summer travel, has heightened public attention on aviation safety, particularly following other recent incidents, including a midair collision near Washington, D.C., and an American Airlines crash in Denver.
Social media reactions underscored the incident’s impact, with users sharing dramatic footage and expressing relief at the safe landing. The investigation’s findings will be critical to addressing concerns about airline safety and ensuring such incidents are prevented in the future.
