A Delta Air Lines plane bound for Atlanta was diverted back to Los Angeles shortly after departure when one of its engines ignited in mid-air. The harrowing moment was filmed in a now-viral clip that depicts flames spewing out of the plane’s left engine.
Delta Flight 446 had only left Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Friday when technical issues hit the Boeing 767-400. The pilots immediately declared an emergency and returned the plane to LAX, where they successfully landed. No injuries were reported.
Watch here:
Boeing 767 of Delta Inbound for LAX.Engine caught fire around 12 hours ago. pic.twitter.com/58MOWw9hnm
— Vikrant (@Vikspeaks1) July 19, 2025
Delta confirmed the plane’s return was precautionary through its spokesperson: “Delta Flight 446 landed at Los Angeles shortly after takeoff after an alert of a problem with the left engine of the plane,” the spokesperson said to the BBC.
Flight path and safety Checks
Tracking data from Flightradar24 showed the plane first rising over the Pacific Ocean before turning back towards land over Downey and Paramount. It was a route that allowed the flight crew sufficient time to undertake checks and bring the plane in safely. The plane maintained level altitude and speed throughout.
Footage Sparks Concern Online
The experience attracted a lot of attention after the video of the blazing engine in mid-air was posted on all social media networks. Shortly afterwards, the same plane was recorded landing without any further problems.
According to aviation news provider Aviation A2Z, the left engine burst into flames soon after takeoff. Air Traffic Control (ATC) was alerted and coordinated a seamless return, with ground emergency services being placed on standby.
Earlier Engine Fire Incident
This isn’t Delta’s first engine fire event in 2024. In April, Delta Flight 1213, an Airbus A330 was on the ramp at Orlando International Airport when it was preparing for departure to Atlanta before erupting into flames. The aircraft had 282 passengers on board, as well as 10 crew and two pilots.
Emergency staff at Orlando Airport responded quickly, clearing everyone onboard safely. Nobody was injured in that accident either.
