A Delta Air Lines flight en route to Atlanta was forced to make an emergency landing back at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Friday after an engine caught fire shortly after takeoff. The incident involved Flight DL446, a Boeing 767-400 aircraft registered as N836MH.
Dramatic footage captured the moment flames erupted from the plane’s left engine while it was still airborne. Despite the alarming visuals, no injuries were reported among passengers or crew, and emergency response teams quickly extinguished the fire upon the aircraft’s return to the runway.
According to aviation outlet Aviation A2Z, the plane had just departed from LAX when the engine malfunctioned. The flight crew immediately declared an emergency and initiated protocols for a safe return. Air Traffic Control coordinated the aircraft’s landing, while emergency crews were positioned on the ground in anticipation.
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Flight data from Flightradar24 shows that the aircraft climbed briefly over the Pacific Ocean before circling back inland, passing over the Downey and Paramount areas. This allowed the pilots sufficient time to perform safety checks and manage the situation in a controlled manner. The jet maintained steady altitude and speed during the maneuver.
Passengers reported that the captain informed them mid-flight that fire personnel were confirming whether the engine fire had been fully extinguished. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation into the incident. The aircraft, nearly 25 years old, is equipped with two General Electric CF6 engines.
A Delta spokesperson confirmed the emergency, stating, “Delta flight 446 returned to Los Angeles shortly after departure following an indication of an issue with the aircraft’s left engine.”
This marks the second such engine-related incident for Delta in 2024. In April, another aircraft—a Delta Airbus A330 preparing to depart from Orlando International Airport—experienced an engine fire while still on the ground. That aircraft, Flight 1213, was carrying 282 passengers and 12 crew members. No injuries were reported in that event either.
The airline has not yet released further details regarding possible maintenance or fleet-wide inspections following the latest incident.
