On the 10th of February 2023, a Delta Air Lines Boeing 767 bound for New York was forced to divert to Glasgow Prestwick Airport after one of its engines caught fire mid-air.
The Boeing 767-300ER with registration N197DN was performing flight DL209 from Edinburgh to New York-JFK. However, shortly after taking off from Edinburgh, the right-hand engine caught fire, emitting a series of bangs and streaks of flames. Following the engine fire, the crew leveled off at 10,000 feet to assess the issue before eventually diverting to Glasgow Prestwick.
Initially, the pilots were planning to return to Edinburgh, but then turned again and repositioned for an approach to Glasgow Prestwick. Flight DL209 circled over Glasgow and then was later routed to Prestwick Airport where it landed about 25 minutes after departure. The aircraft landed normally at Glasgow Prestwick and taxied to the apron on its own.
Passengers onboard reported hearing a loud bang before the pilot announced that they were being re-routed. Footage has emerged on social media of flames appearing to come from the aircraft’s right-hand engine.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that they were in attendance to help Glasgow Prestwick Airport’s fire crews saying,
“We were requested at 11:23 to assist our fire service partners at Prestwick Airport. Operations Control mobilized four appliances to the site, where firefighters remain working to support their partners.”
A Glasgow Prestwick spokesperson said that the aircraft landed safely at approximately 11.31 am local time. No one was injured and all passengers disembarked the aircraft via stairs.
“Delta flight 209 from Edinburgh to New York-JFK safely diverted to Prestwick, Glasgow after a mechanical issue with the aircraft. We apologize to our customers for this inconvenience and are working to get them to their final destination as quickly as possible.”
Delta Air Lines
“The plane landed safely in Prestwick and our maintenance teams are evaluating the aircraft. We’ll be in touch with any updates,” the airline spokesperson added.
Feature Image via Twitter