Topline
A Boeing 747-8 cargo plane operated by Atlas Air made an emergency landing at Miami International Airport late Thursday after the plane suffered an engine malfunction minutes after taking off.
File Photo: Atlas Air took delivery of the final Boeing 747 ever produced last year.
Key Facts
The cargo airline told Reuters the crew was able to land safely after following standard procedures and said it will inspect the plane to establish the cause of the incident.
Unverified videos shared on social media showed flames and sparks flying from what appears to be one of the engines on the left side of the plane.
Flight path data on FlightAware showed the cargo plane taking off from the airport at around 10.32 p.m. EST before immediately circling back and landing at around 10:46 p.m.
The plane was scheduled to fly from Miami to Puerto Rico’s capital San Juan, according to the flight data.
In an emailed statement, Boeing said the company was “supporting our customer and will support the NTSB investigation into this incident.”
News Peg
The incident involved a freighter version of the 747-8 aircraft, the latest and most advanced model of Boeing’s popular jumbo jet. With airlines choosing more modern and fuel-efficient planes, Boeing decided to end production of the four-engine widebody plane in late 2022—53 years after the first 747 model took flight. Atlas Air took delivery of the final Boeing 747-8 plane in January last year.
Big Number
9. That is the total number of 747-8 planes that Atlas Air has in its fleet, eight of which are in active service, according to the online database PlaneSpotters.net.
Key Background
The Atlas Air plane was powered by four General Electric GEnx engines—which is also used on the 787 Dreamliner. While the cause of Thursday’s malfunction is unclear, in 2016 the FAA ordered urgent fixes for GEnx engines used onboard 787s after it found that icing could cause the engines to shut down. Boeing and the FAA are yet to comment on the incident but it comes just weeks after the airplane maker came under widespread scrutiny after a door panel blew off an Alaska Airlines 737 Max 8 plane just after take-off, forcing an emergency landing.
Further Reading
Atlas Air Boeing cargo plane makes emergency landing at Miami (Reuters)
