After a bird attack caused an engine fire on Sunday, an American Airlines aircraft was forced to land at an Ohio airport. The airliner returned safely with no injuries reported, authorities said.
The video of the plane returning to John Glenn International Airport in Columbus as flames and smoke are seen coming from the right engine has gone viral on social media.
American Airlines Flight 1958 had departed from John Glenn Columbus International Airport in Columbus around 7.45 am and was headed to Phoenix. The fire was detected a short time later, and the Boeing 737 returned to the airport, where firefighters quickly doused the flames.
It wasn't clear how many passengers and crew members were aboard the aircraft. The airline said the plane was taken out of service for maintenance and that it was working to get the passengers on other flights.
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Airport officials said the facility remained operational as usual, and the fire only caused some minor flight delays. The Federal Aviation Administration will investigate.
"@FAANews I just saw AA1958 with major engine issues just after takeoff. Flames shooting from the engine and wonky, pulsing noises from the aircraft," a Twitter user wrote while sharing a clip from the incident.
Post-landing, the John Glenn Columbus International Airport posted a statement on Twitter. The tweet said, "Emergency crews responded to an aircraft incident at CMH this morning involving a reported engine fire. The aircraft landed safely and the airport is open and operational."
According to the New York Post, this incident comes just days after another engine caught fire during takeoff from Charlotte Douglas Airport in North Carolina. No one was reported injured in the incident, which was later reported as a mechanical failure in the engine.
With inputs from agencies
