A Delta Air Lines A330-300, designated flight DL777, faced a critical incident during takeoff from Harry Reid International Airport on October 28. The aircraft, with 271 passengers and crew on board, was departing from Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Georgia when the crew aborted its takeoff due to a reported engine failure.
✕ Remove Ads Smoke came out from engine during Delta's takeoff
As the Airbus A330-300 aircraft, registered as N805NW, accelerated on runway 26R, initial reports indicated a malfunction with the right engine (PW4168A). Witnesses from other planes saw flames and smoke coming from the engine's exhaust, causing emergency services to respond immediately. In response to the situation, the Delta crew executed the engine fire checklist for the affected engine.
"Looks like it's coming out of the engine. It's on fire," a man can be heard saying on video recorded of the incident, FOX News reported.
Photo: Mihn K Tran | Shutterstock ✕ Remove Ads
According to The Aviation Herald, other aircraft reported the right-hand engine was on fire, with smoke and flames coming out of the exhaust. Emergency services were dispatched, and the crew later reported that they had completed the engine fire checklist for their number two engine. Despite the alarming initial reports, subsequent evaluations by emergency services and the control tower indicated no visible smoke or fire.
The crew then indicated that they needed assistance from operations to tow them from their position, as they were unable to maneuver safely, steer the aircraft, or see exactly where they were in relation to the runway lights below. The passengers were kept on board, and the flight crew had shut down both engines.
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A fire in engine number one caused a brief ground stop on Tuesday evening as the Rome-bound plane returned safely.
3 Delta Air Lines' response to the emergency
Approximately 20 hours after the incident, the A330 remained grounded in Las Vegas while a replacement aircraft, a Boeing 737-800 with registration N3752, was dispatched to transport the stranded passengers. The replacement flight eventually arrived in Atlanta with a significant delay of approximately 9 hours and 15 minutes. The Aviation Herald reported.
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An airline spokesperson confirmed to Fox News that the incident was under control. The aircraft was inspected on the runway, and emergency personnel determined that ignited fuel exited the engine as designed, Delta said, adding that the aircraft will undergo further inspection and maintenance. All 261 passengers and nine crew members were safely evacuated, with no injuries reported. The plane was subsequently towed back to the gate for inspection.
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying
FlightAware shows the aircraft was ferried to ATL on Saturday as DL9960. It has now returned to service, with a flight from Kansas City International Airport to Tampa International Airport on November 5.
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The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident, according to Las Vegas's local television Channel 13. On October 28, the FAA released a preliminary report stating an electrical fault led to issues on a Frontier Airlines flight, which had a fiery landing in Las Vegas on October 5.
N805NW, an Airbus A330-300, had its first flight on November 26, 2002, and has already attained the age of 21.9 years. It has 34 business-class seats, 40 premium economy seats, and 219 economy-class seats.