[aviation news]
On Friday, July 18, 2025, Delta Air Lines Flight DL446, a Boeing 767-400 bound for Atlanta, made an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) after reports of a fire in its left engine.
The incident, which occurred shortly after takeoff, resulted in flight crew making an immediate precautionary return to the departure airport.
This event marks Delta’s second reported engine fire in 2025, raising questions about aircraft safety.
Delta DL446 Los Angeles-Atlanta
The flight, carrying 226 passengers and nine crew members, departed LAX just before 2:00 p.m. local time.
Moments after climbing over the Pacific Ocean, the crew detected signs of a fire in the left General Electric CF6 engine.
The pilots quickly declared an emergency and coordinated with Air Traffic Control (ATC). They circled over Downey and Paramount to complete safety checks before returning to LAX.
By 2:10 p.m., the aircraft landed safely on runway 25L. Firefighting crews confirmed the fire was extinguished upon landing, and the aircraft was towed to a hangar for inspection.
Videos shared on social media captured flames emitting from the aircraft’s left engine.
Passengers praised the crew’s calm response. “The captain kept us informed, which really helped,” one passenger noted.
Delta Air Lines issued a statement, saying, “Flight DL446 returned to LAX following an indication of an issue with the aircraft’s left engine.”
The airline is cooperating with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which is investigating the incident.
Flight Details
Flight data shows that flight DL446 departed from Los Angeles LAX at 1:51PM local time. The flight was a scheduled service bound for Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL).
Flight crew terminated the climb procedure at 3,000 feet immediately after takeoff. The aircraft then conducted an immediate return to land on runway 25L. The runway was temporarily closed after the landing, to permit checks for debris.
The aircraft conducting the DL446 service to Atlanta was a Boeing 767-400, registered N836mh. This is a 24.7 year old aircraft belonging to the carrier Delta Air Lines.
It has been in operational service with the airline since its initial delivery from the factory in December 2000.
Conclusion
This is not Delta’s first engine fire this year. On January 1, 2025, Delta flight DL105, an Airbus A330neo, returned to Atlanta after an engine fire en route to São Paulo.
Another incident occurred on April 21, 2025, when Delta flight DL1213, an Airbus A330, caught fire on the tarmac in Orlando, requiring passenger evacuation.
No injuries occurred in these events, but they have sparked concerns about Delta’s maintenance practices and the safety of its aging fleet.
The FAA’s investigation into the LAX incident will focus on the cause of the engine fire and whether maintenance or mechanical issues played a role.
Share this content:
