AN American Airlines flight had to return to the airport after smoke and sparks flew from the plane’s engine, terrifying everyone on board.
American Airlines Flight 1665 departed Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas at 8:11 am on Wednesday, bound for Charlotte, North Carolina.
However, shortly after takeoff, smoke was seen coming from the plane’s left engine, according to an airport spokesperson.
Harrowing video of the incident was shared on social media, showing puffs of smoke and orange sparks coming from the plane’s engine.
The plane returned to the airport around 8:20 am, said the Federal Aviation Administration in a statement.
An inspection by the maintenance team found no evidence that the engine caught fire, according to American Airlines.
“The aircraft taxied to the gate under its own power and customers deplaned normally,” the airline said.
“We commend our crew’s professionalism and express our gratitude to the team who are diligently working to bring our passengers to their destinations as swiftly as possible.”
Lane Hayes, one of the 153 passengers on the flight, shared with the New York Times that he heard a loud noise, describing it as “literally sounding like a gunshot,” just moments after takeoff.
He told the outlet that when he leaned out the window, he could see “flashes of light coming from the engine where it was sparking.”
“It was extremely tense,” said Hayes.
“The moment seemed to stretch on forever, and with each engine pop, it resembled gunshots. We all questioned whether the next one would be more intense than the previous.”
Amidst the chaos, the pilot announced that they were “obviously not taking this plane to Charlotte,” before returning to Las Vegas.
At this time, American Airlines said it was too early to determine the cause of the engine issue.
“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 airline told The U.S. Sun.
Along with 153 passengers, there were six crew members on board during the incident.
No injuries were reported from this incident, said the airline.
An investigation by the FAA is currently underway.
The U.S. Sun has reached out to American Airlines and the FAA for comment.
