Video: Flames Burst from Plane’s Engine Shortly After Take-Off
Video: Flames Burst from Plane's Engine Shortly After Take-Off
An Air Canada plane en route to Paris, carrying 389 passengers and 13 crew members, experienced an engine fire just minutes after taking off from Toronto Pearson International Airport on Friday. The flight crew immediately declared a “PAN-PAN” distress call, indicating a need for assistance, and safely returned to the airport without any injuries.
The Boeing 777 took off at 12:17 am (Toronto time), and by 12:39 am, as it was still climbing, air traffic controllers spotted sparks from the right engine and alerted the crew. This dramatic event was captured on camera by observers on the ground.
This incident is the latest in a series of issues reported with Boeing aircraft in recent months. Astronaut Chris Hadfield praised the crew’s handling of the situation, sharing a video showing the plane with an engine on fire. He commended the pilots and air traffic controllers for their professionalism under challenging conditions, including a heavy, fuel-laden plane and poor weather.
Hadfield also shared a YouTube video reconstruction of the incident, including pilot communications with ATC. The plane was at 1,000 feet when the pilots were notified of the fire. They managed to stabilize the aircraft at 3,000 feet before turning back to Toronto, navigating through lightning and showers. The ATC cleared Runway 23 for the emergency landing, with fire vehicles on standby. The plane landed safely and continued taxiing within four minutes.
Air Canada issued a statement explaining that a stalled compressor caused the fire. They confirmed that the aircraft landed normally and was met by emergency vehicles as a precaution. Passengers were later accommodated on another flight the same evening.
