An American Airlines flight to Charlotte was forced to make an emergency landing on Wednesday morning shortly after takeoff from Harry Reid International Airport, after the left aircraft engine emitted smoke and seemed to set fire, according to witnesses.
Flight 1665, an Airbus A321 carrying 153 passengers and six crew members, had left Las Vegas at 8:11 a.m. when the incident occurred. The pilot quickly turned the plane and landed safely at the airport, according to New York Daily News.
“The plane rolled at the door under its own power and customers were moving normally,” said American Airlines in a press release. “We appreciate the professionalism of our crew and thank our team who works to bring our customers to their destinations as quickly as possible.”
No injury has been reported and the airline confirmed that the plane had been put out of service for more in -depth assessment and repairs.
Eye witnesses and passengers said they saw flames and hear unusual noises. Patrick Chapin, a passenger on board, told local media that he had heard a “boom” followed by a persistent rumble. However, American Airlines said that his mechanisms found no evidence of real fire during an initial inspection.
Airport public information officer Luke Nimmo confirmed that the plane had landed safely and taxia without help. The video sequences captured by local resident Annette Riding have shown that black smoke was dragging from the left engine a few moments after takeoff, Queen City News reported.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation into the incident.
This emergency landing comes in the middle of a series of world aviation incidents in 2025, including a fatal air accident India earlier this month and a tragic outdoor collision in January involving a jet of American airlines and an army helicopter, which made 67 lives.
