American Airlines plane suffered engine failure on takeoff

An American Airlines flight experienced tense moments this morning when it had to make an emergency return to the Las Vegas airport shortly after takeoff after sparks and smoke were seen coming from one of its engines.

The plane, an Airbus A321 operating flight 1665 to Charlotte, took off from Harry Reid International Airport around 8:11 a.m. Minutes later, passengers and those on the ground noticed flashes, an unusual noise, and a column of smoke coming from the aircraft's right engine. Some witnesses described the sound as "big explosions" and compared the display to fireworks.

Given the situation, the pilot declared an emergency and requested permission to return. Fortunately, managed to land safely at 8:20 a.m.., with no injuries reported among the 153 passengers and six crew members. All disembarked without incident.

“It felt like an explosion,” one passenger recounted upon landing.

American Airlines flight AA1665, an Airbus A321 to Charlotte, returned safely to Las Vegas after engine trouble shortly after takeoff. Smoke and sparks reported; no injuries among 153 passengers and 6 crew. FAA investigating. pic.twitter.com/KUcH1oGsaS

— GeoTechWar (@geotechwar) June 25, 2025

Although some media outlets initially reported an engine fire, American Airlines clarified that no active fire was detected after landing. The aircraft will be temporarily grounded for a full technical inspection.

Meanwhile, the airline has already begun relocating passengers to other flights. Most are expected to be able to fly to Charlotte on a scheduled departure at 1:00 p.m.

The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) has opened an investigation to determine exactly what caused the failure.

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Sources:

• Flightradar24