On Wednesday, officials shared with FOX Business that a Delta Air Lines flight was compelled to return shortly after takeoff on Tuesday due to an engine issue detected in Texas.
Fire department representatives confirmed that smoke was reported from one of the engines by the flight crew.
Delta’s Flight 1676 lifted off from San Antonio International Airport in the morning, en route to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia.
The Airbus A320 was carrying 136 passengers along with six crew members and safely returned to the airport after about 20 minutes in the air, landing around 11:15 a.m., according to information from FlightAware.
“Safety is our top priority,” a Delta spokesperson stated, explaining that the flight crew decided to return after noticing signs of a potential engine issue post-takeoff.
The San Antonio Fire Department (SAFD) received the report about “smoke coming from the engine.”
Initially, the department dispatched extra personnel to the airport as a precaution against a possible fire. However, they later reported that, after assessing the aircraft, no adverse findings were made, leading to the cancellation of additional response teams before their arrival.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that the aircraft landed back at the airport safely, and SAFD noted that there were no injuries or other incidents.
Delta Air Lines also indicated that the flight crew declared a state of emergency for priority attention from air traffic control.
Nevertheless, Tonya Hope, spokesperson for the airport, emphasized that this wasn’t classified as an emergency landing.
“The plane landed safely at SAT, and all passengers disembarked,” she clarified to the San Antonio Express-News. “There were initial reports of an engine fire during the flight.”
Delta Air Lines reiterated that when SAFD inspected the aircraft, they found no traces of fire. The operation at the airport was unaffected, and all passengers landed safely.
The airline’s maintenance team is now assessing the aircraft, with the FAA set to investigate the event.
To facilitate quicker travel for passengers, they were rebooked on alternate Delta flights.
“We apologize for the travel delays encountered by our customers,” the airline expressed.
As of now, San Antonio International Airport has not provided a comment to FOX Business.
