Delta’s Boeing 767 engine catches fire mid air soon after takeoff, makes emergency landing in LA

A Delta Air Lines flight was forced to make an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Friday after its left engine caught fire shortly after takeoff, marking the second such incident involving the airline this year.

Flight DL446, a Boeing 767-400 aircraft registered as N836MH, was en route to Atlanta when the crew reported indications of an engine fire just minutes after departure. The aircraft, powered by two General Electric CF6 engines, had climbed out over the Pacific Ocean before circling back inland over Downey and Paramount to complete safety protocols.

Ground video footage captured flames coming from the aircraft’s left engine while it was still airborne. The pilots declared an emergency and coordinated with air traffic control to return to LAX.

“Delta flight 446 returned to Los Angeles shortly after departure following an indication of an issue with the aircraft’s left engine,” a Delta spokesperson told the BBC.

The aircraft landed safely, and emergency services were on standby to inspect the jet. Fire crews confirmed the engine fire had been extinguished. No injuries were reported among the passengers or crew.

Passengers on board said the captain had kept them informed during the return. “The captain informed them that fire crews were verifying that the engine fire is out,” one passenger recounted.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has opened an investigation to determine the cause of the fire.

This is the second engine fire involving a Delta aircraft in 2025. On January 1, Flight DL105 — an Airbus A330neo bound for São Paulo — was forced to return to Atlanta shortly after takeoff due to a similar engine issue. That aircraft’s left engine malfunctioned mid-air, sending visible flames that were captured by passengers.