An American Airlines plane was compelled to make an emergency landing a few minutes after departing Las Vegas on Wednesday morning after its crew reported smoke and sparks emanating from one of its engines.
Flight 1665, which was flown on an Airbus A321, departed from Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) and was headed to Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) when the plane turned back as a result of what the airline termed a ‘mechanical issue’. The plane landed safely, and no one was injured.
“The plane taxied to the gate on its own power, and passengers debarked normally. We value our crew’s professionalism and thank our employees, who are working to bring our passengers to their destinations as rapidly as possible,” Fox News quoted the airline as stating.
JUST IN: American Airlines flight forced to return to Las Vegas after an engine apparently caught on fire midair.
American Airlines Flight 1665 was in the air for about 10 minutes after taking off from Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas for Charlotte, North Carolina.… pic.twitter.com/lkAeDWkJiw
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) June 25, 2025
The plane had 153 passengers and six crew members onboard when the incident occurred.
Although American Airlines insisted that there was ‘no evidence of fire in the engine’, several videos doing the rounds on social media seemed to indicate dark smoke billowing from the right engine of the plane along with sparks visible in midair.
Matthew Villasista, who was also observing the incident from the Las Vegas National Golf Club, explained, “We heard lots of booming sounds, like a boombox. It kind of brought us to a standstill to hear the sounds.”
Mark Jackson, another witness, had a similar description. “When we looked up and saw what was actually going on, I was astounded and really sad thinking about how afraid everybody on board must be,” he said to ABC News. “Those incredible pilots are flying under some severe stress. It just appeared like it was plummeting rapidly.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which identified the flight as an Airbus A321, confirmed the occurrence.
American Airlines Flight 1665 made its safe return to Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas about 8:20 a.m. local time on Wednesday, June 25, after the crew reported an engine problem. The Airbus A321 was bound for Charlotte Douglas International Airport. The FAA will be investigating,” the agency stated, according to Fox News.
The airport where this happened, Harry Reid International Airport, used to be called McCarran International Airport.
