Delta Flight Makes Emergency Landing in Scotland After Engine Spurts Fire

A Delta Air Lines plane leaves the gate at Logan International Airport in Boston on July 12, 2021. Michael Dwyer/AP Photo

A Delta Air Lines flight that took off from Scotland on Friday for New York was forced to make an emergency landing a few minutes later at the Prestwick Airport in Glasgow after one of its engines caught on fire.

A video reportedly captured from inside the plane during the flight shows flames coming from under the wing.

According to BBC Scotland journalist Laura Pettigrew, who was on the flight, there was a loud engine noise after the plane took off, which was similar to the sound heard normally during take-off and landing. But this noise continued even as the plane was airborne.

Pilots soon landed the plane at Prestwick, where the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service was waiting. When the plane landed, passengers reportedly clapped and cheered.

“When the plane touched down we could see fire trucks and firefighters with hoses rushing towards us. We were told to leave all our belongings and get off as quickly as we could. There was no real panic among passengers, more just confusion. However some families with kids were pretty distressed,” Pettigrew said in the BBC report.

Authorities have blamed a mechanical issue in one of the aircraft’s engines for the incident. Flights for the passengers were rescheduled for the next day, with Delta arranging for their ground transportation, hotel stay, and meals.

Another U.S. flight recently made an emergency landing due to a fire issue. A United Airlines plane bound for New Jersey on Feb. 7 turned back to San Diego International Airport shortly after takeoff after a passenger’s external battery pack caught fire, The Associated Press reported.

Delta Emergency Landings

In December, a Delta flight from Atlanta to Sacramento was forced to land in Nashville due to an engine issue.

In November, a Delta flight heading to Los Angeles from Atlanta made an emergency landing in New Mexico after the cabin appeared to be filled with smoke.

An individual on the aircraft yelled about a fire on the plane but flight attendants told everyone to remain calm and stay in their seats. The flight crew had also noticed that one of the two engines was showing a performance issue.

In April, a Delta flight to Washington from Salt Lake City made an emergency landing at the Denver International Airport after the plane’s windshield shattered midair.