A Boeing 747-8 cargo plane operated by Atlas Air was forced to make an emergency landing late Thursday as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigates an issue on a separate Boeing aircraft line.
The aircraft was able to land safely at Miami International Airport at 11:03 p.m. on Thursday after experiencing a mid-flight engine malfunction, with the airline noting that it would be conducting a thorough inspection of the plane, Atlas told the Daily Caller News Foundation. The emergency landing comes amid controversy surrounding Boeing planes, with a Boeing 737 Max-9 operated by Alaska Airlines having a door plug blow off mid-flight in early January, promoting action from the FAA. (RELATED: Major Airline Explores Refinancing Options After Biden Admin Suit)
“We can confirm that Flight 5Y095, a 747-8 cargo aircraft, has landed safely after experiencing an engine malfunction soon after departure from Miami International Airport (MIA),” Atlas Air told the DCNF. “The crew followed all standard procedures and safely returned to MIA. At Atlas, safety is always our top priority and we will be conducting a thorough inspection.”
NEW: Atlas Air Boeing 747-8 cargo plane forced to make an emergency landing at Miami International Airport after an engine appeared to catch fire.
What is going on with Boeing?
The plane took off at 10:32pm and immediately circled back to land.
It landed back at the airport 14… pic.twitter.com/ketYYzNCOz
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 19, 2024
Following the incident on Alaska Airlines, the FAA grounded over a hundred Boeing 737 Max-9 planes and instructed airline operators to inspect their own aircraft. United Airlines, in its own inspection, found loose bolts on at least five aircraft in its fleet of Boeing jets, as well as other issues with parts on the planes’ plug doors.
Boeing 737 Max-9’s were previously grounded along with the Max-8 when the latter model experienced two separate fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019, according to NBC News. Regulators did not start clearing the planes for flight again until 2020.
Boeing had to delay delivery of 737 Max jets to China Southern Airlines, among other Chinese carriers, due to the recent quality issues with the aircraft manufacturer, limiting Boeing’s ability to tap into the huge Chinese market. Chinese regulators had previously delayed the delivery of the planes due to the fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019.
“We are supporting our customer and will support the [National Transportation Safety Board] investigation into this incident,” Boeing told the DCNF.
Miami International Airport deferred the DCNF to Atlas Air.
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