LOS ANGELES, July 18, 2025 — A Delta Air Lines flight en route to Atlanta made an emergency return to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Friday afternoon after the crew reported a fire in one of the aircraft’s engines shortly after takeoff.
Delta Flight DL446, operated by a Boeing 767-400 (registration N836MH), departed LAX but diverted back within minutes after the crew received a warning of a fire in the left engine. The aircraft circled briefly to complete safety checklists before landing safely at approximately 2:10 p.m. local time, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
“Delta Air Lines Flight 446 safely landed after returning to Los Angeles International Airport around 2:10 p.m. local time on Friday, July 18 due to a reported engine fire,” the FAA said in a statement. “The Boeing 767-400 was heading to Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The FAA will investigate.”
There were 226 passengers and nine crew members onboard. No injuries were reported.
Video: LA FLIGHTS / YouTube
Crew Actions Applauded
Eyewitness video of the incident posted to YouTube showed flames visibly emitting from the left engine as the aircraft returned to the airport. Despite the alarming visuals, passengers reported remaining unaware of the situation until after landing.
“My daughter and son-in-law were on the flight and she told me that until they landed, they did not know about the fire,” wrote one commenter, identifying himself as the father of a passenger. “The flight crew was exceptional and calm the whole time. Kudos to all of them for the safe return of all on board.”
In a statement, Delta Air Lines confirmed the safe return of the aircraft and praised the crew’s handling of the emergency:
“As nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and crew, the flight crew followed procedures and safely returned to the gate. We apologize to our customers for the delay in their travel plans.”
The airline said that affected passengers were re-accommodated on a replacement aircraft later that day.
Flight DL446 was scheduled to operate from Los Angeles to Atlanta. Thanks to swift action by the flight crew and coordinated emergency support on the ground, a potentially dangerous in-flight situation was brought under control without injury or panic, underscoring the effectiveness of aviation safety training and protocols.
Earlier this month, Delta Boeing 717 made headlines when a piece of wing flap detached mid-flight and landed in a residential driveway in North Carolina driveway. No injuries were reported on the ground or onboard. Also this month, Delta Air Lines Airbus A330-300, from Barcelona to New York JFK, was forced to return after encountering severe weather and hail shortly after takeoff. While no injuries were reported, the aircraft suffered damage, including a crushed radome.
Image: LA FLIGHTS / YouTube Used for editorial reporting. Permission requested.
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