An Atlas Air Boeing 747-8 cargo plane registered N859GT made an emergency landing in Miami after experiencing an engine fire shortly after takeoff. The incident occurred late on Thursday, and the plane safely returned to Miami International Airport with no reported injuries among the five crew members.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the incident. Videos on social media showed flames shooting from the left wing of the aircraft during the flight. The FAA reported a softball-size hole above the engine during a post-flight inspection.
Atlas Air stated that the crew followed standard procedures, and an inspection to determine the cause will be conducted. U.S. air safety expert John Cox suggested that the incident might be an uncontained engine failure, highlighting the significance of such events in investigations.
Boeing is supporting the NTSB investigation, and GE Aerospace is providing technical assistance to the FAA and NTSB. The Atlas Boeing 747-8 is eight years old, powered by four General Electric GEnx engines.
The Atlas Air flight was en route to San Juan, Puerto Rico, from Miami International Airport when the engine fire occurred during the climb.