AAIB report says New York-bound Delta Flight suffered ‘fuel leak, engine failure’ before shooting flames from wings

Investigation reveals engine failure on Boeing flight to New York, resulting in flames from wings due to fuel leak.

Back in February 2023, a Boeing flight charting for New York went viral when flames were captured shooting from its wings following an incident of “engine failure” and a subsequent “fuel leak”, as per an official investigation published on Friday. The aircraft was carrying dozens of passengers from Scotland to John F. Kennedy Airport.

Passengers describe chaos as Boeing Flight catches fire, makes emergency landing (BBC News)

Delta Flight DAL209 gained widespread attention in last year after a passenger recorded sparks and flames emerging from the aircraft wings, along with a loud bang. The footage captured the sounds of some of the 211 passengers onboard crying and quickly spread online.

The UK government’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) investigated the incident and found that “during takeoff from Edinburgh Airport bound for New York, a high-pressure turbine blade fractured in the right engine.” This even damaged “a further five blades”, causing a huge imbalance and fracturing a tube within the wing.

“Fuel escaping from the wing was ignited by the hot engine exhaust, and this was recorded on video by a passenger,” the AAIB report stated, highlighting the “significant potential for a fuel fire.”

‘The plane took off, and there was a loud engine noise’

Fortunately, the flames were extinguished after the JFK-bound aircraft was diverted to another airport in Scotland. The report also noted that all “the passengers were rapidly disembarked, with no injuries.”

Laura Pettigrew, a BBC News journalist onboard the flight, recounted the experience. “The plane took off, and there was a loud engine noise, similar to the noise normally during take-off and landing, but it seemed to continue once we were in the air,” she shared.

“When the plane touched down, we could see fire trucks and firefighters with hoses rushing towards us.”

Pettigrew noted that passengers appeared more confused than panicked. The AAIB has forwarded its findings to US authorities and has recommended that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ensure that “the Boeing Aircraft Company to demonstrate that following this serious incident, the design of the slat track housing drain tube on the Boeing 767 family of aircraft continues to comply with the certification requirements for large transport aircraft.”