A Delta Air Lines flight bound for Atlanta, Georgia, was forced to return to Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport after an engine failure sparked a grass fire near the runway.
The aircraft, a Boeing 737-900, was only in the air for a few moments before the pilot declared an emergency.
The left engine experienced issues, which caused flames to shoot from the aircraft.
“Delta flight 1067 from Savannah to Atlanta returned to the airport soon after takeoff Sunday evening, following a mechanical issue with the aircraft’s left engine,” the airline said, according to Fox News.
“The aircraft landed safely and was met by airport response teams. Customers deplaned normally at the gate,” it added.
“Emergency response teams, including firefighters, were called to the scene Garden City Fire Rescue said. The department said it operated in coordination with the Savannah Fire Department, Pooler Fire-Rescue and 165th Airlift Wing Fire Department,” Breaking Aviation News & Videos wrote.
Footage below:
A Delta Air Lines flight from Savannah, Georgia, to Atlanta was forced to turn back Sunday night due to engine trouble, which sparked a large grass fire near the airport runway.
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) February 23, 2026
Delta flight 1067, a Boeing 737-900, had just taken off from Savannah/Hilton Head International… pic.twitter.com/g3Sdz9wK6D
Fox News shared further:
Flight tracking data from FlightAware showed the aircraft landed safely back in Savannah at about 7:12 p.m., less than 30 minutes after takeoff.
In audio captured on Broadcastify, the controller asked the pilot about a visible flame during departure.
“Everything OK? I saw a pretty large flame on takeoff,” an air traffic controller asked the pilot.
“We lost left engine straight out here for Delta 1067,” the pilot responded.
Moments later, the controller alerted another aircraft on the runway to move, saying emergency crews were being dispatched because a section of grass alongside the taxiway had caught fire.
“This fire, is it related to the runway? Is it what just happened with our airplane, or is it something different?” the pilot asked, according to the New York Post.
“Unfortunately, when the engine blew, it set the whole grass on the left side of the airport on fire,” the controller replied.
There were 179 passengers, two pilots and four flight attendants on board.
No injuries were reported.
More from the New York Post:
Jeanne Miraglia, a passenger on the Delta flight, told WTOC that she heard a loud boom while they were ascending.
“The pilot came on saying the engine had blown, but we have another good engine. And we’re gonna be fine and told us what to look for – fire trucks, grass fires, and things like that,” she said.
The passengers were later boarded onto a replacement aircraft, and landed at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport just after 3 a.m., the airline said.
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