Video from inside an American Airlines jet appeared to show flames bursting from the aircraft after a reported bird strike, moments before the flight returned for an emergency landing at Myrtle Beach International Airport.
American Airlines Flight 1760, a Boeing 737-800 bound for Charlotte with 172 people aboard, had just departed Monday morning when the pilot was heard declaring an emergency in air traffic control audio.
“Mayday, mayday, mayday, we got an engine problem here,” the pilot said.
A passenger-recorded video showed flashes of flame as someone on board reacted to the situation. “The engine is backfiring like crazy,” a voice could be heard saying. “I think she is on fire now.”
Bursts of flames are seen coming from American Airlines Flight 1760 on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026. (Patrick Gotwalt/Storyful)
“American Airlines Flight 1760 returned to Myrtle Beach (MYR) shortly after departure due to a maintenance issue. The aircraft landed safely and has been taken out of service to be inspected by our maintenance team,” American Airlines told News Outlet in a statement. “Our team worked to get customers on their way to Charlotte (CLT) on a replacement aircraft. We thank our team members for their professionalism and our customers for their understanding.”
The airline said there was no indication that the engine itself caught fire, and no injuries were reported. The source of the visible flames was not immediately clear.
“American Airlines Flight 1760 returned safely to Myrtle Beach International Airport around 8:40 a.m. local time on Monday, Aug. 10, after the crew reported striking a bird while departing,” the Federal Aviation Administration told News Outlet. “The Boeing 737-800 was headed to Charlotte Douglas International Airport. The FAA will investigate.”
In air traffic control recordings captured by LiveATC, a worker said a “significant” number of birds were found on the runway and were being removed.
An American Airlines Boeing 737-800 plane, like the one pictured here, made an emergency landing on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026, at Myrtle Beach International Airport. (Rodger Mallison/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/MCT/Getty Images)
Data from the website FlightAware shows the plane departed Myrtle Beach at 8:00 a.m. ET before landing about 36 minutes later.
The FAA said on its website that there have been about 292,000 reported wildlife strikes with civil aircraft in the U.S. between 1990 and 2023.
“About 54% of bird strikes occur from July to October which is when young birds recently have fledged from nests and fall migration occurs,” it said. “About 62% of bird strikes with civil aircraft occur in day, 8% occur at dawn or dusk, and 30% occur at night.”
An American Airlines Boeing 737-800 sits at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in Dallas, Texas, on Nov. 23, 2017. (Getty Images)
Around 70% of the strikes happen between 0 and 500 feet above ground level, the FAA also said.
