Delta Flight Makes Emergency Landing After Engine Fire Post-Takeoff in Brazil
A Delta Air Lines flight was forced to make an emergency landing due to a dramatic engine fire shortly after takeoff from São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport on Sunday night. Flight DL104, en route to Atlanta, was carrying 272 passengers and 14 crew members when it experienced a mechanical failure in its left engine. This incident occurred just seconds after the Airbus A330-300 lifted off at approximately 11:49 p.m. local time.
Witnesses on the ground captured footage of sparks and flames shooting from beneath the aircraft’s wing. Debris fell to the runway, igniting a small brush fire on the ground. Air traffic control immediately alerted the crew, stating, “Delta 104, there is a fire on your wing.” The pilots responded calmly, “Affirmative, we need to come back,” and halted their climb at around 4,500 feet before executing an emergency return.
The aircraft landed safely approximately 10 minutes after departure. Emergency response teams were promptly positioned on the runway. All passengers and crew were safely evacuated via bus to the terminal, with no injuries reported.
Delta attributed the incident to a mechanical issue with the Pratt & Whitney PW4168A engine and extended an apology to customers for the delay. The airline is currently working to accommodate passengers on alternate flights. Meanwhile, maintenance teams are inspecting the 20-year-old aircraft to determine the cause of the failure.
Source: ABC7 News