A Delta Airlines Boeing 767 aircraft made an emergency landing in Prague, Czech Republic, with one of its engines engulfed in flames.
The incident occurred on September 1, 2023. The airline was taking off on Flight DL-79 from Prague Václav Havel Airport (PRG) for a transatlantic journey to New York, United States. It was originally scheduled to land at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) approximately 8.5 hours later.
However, as the aircraft was ascending from runway 24, its right-hand engine experienced a failure, accompanied by a series of loud bangs and flames. The crew promptly shut down the engine and returned to the airport, where they executed a safe emergency landing.
A video captured the Boeing 767 taking off with one of its engines emitting heavy smoke.
The aircraft involved in the incident is a 33-year-old Boeing 767-300, registered as N175DN, which first took flight in July 1990. It is equipped with two Pratt & Whitney PW4060 engines.
Following the engine failure during departure from PRG, the aircraft remains grounded in Prague.
In July 2023, another Delta Airlines Boeing 767, registered as N189DN, suffered extensive damage when it encountered a hailstorm over Italy. The aircraft was diverted to Rome Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino Airport (FCO), where it remained on the ground for more than two weeks before returning to the United States.
Delta Airlines maintains a fleet of over 900 aircraft, including 66 Boeing 767s. The Boeing 767-300ER is among the aircraft types that the American airline plans to retire in the coming years. According to reports from 2020, the last -300ER could be phased out by December 2025.