On the 10th of January 2025, a Delta Air Lines Boeing 757 was evacuated on the tarmac after an engine issue prompted an aborted takeoff at Atlanta Airport.
The Delta Air Lines Boeing 757-300 with registration N589NW was performing flight DL2668 from Atlanta to Minneapolis with 199 passengers and 7 crew members onboard.
However, during the takeoff roll on runway 09L, the crew detected an issue with the starboard engine (PW2043) and aborted the takeoff at approximately 85 knots, as reported by Aero World.
Evacuation and Injuries
The aircraft came to a stop about 1800 meters (5900 feet) down the runway, where the crew initiated an emergency evacuation using slides on both sides of the plane. Emergency services responded quickly, extinguishing flames seen in the affected engine, as reported by the Aviation Herald.
Four passengers sustained injuries during the evacuation, with one being transported to a local hospital for further treatment. The remaining passengers were safely guided away from the aircraft and later accommodated on alternate flights.
The FAA confirmed the incident and has launched an investigation into the incident to determine the cause of the engine issue.
“The crew of Delta Air Lines Flight 2668 aborted takeoff at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport around 9:05 a.m. local time on Friday, Jan. 10, due to a reported engine issue. Passengers exited the aircraft on the runway. The FAA will investigate,” stated a FAA spokesperson.
Eyewitnesses Report
Eyewitness footage showed fire crews responding immediately to extinguish flames in the starboard engine as passengers evacuated the aircraft using emergency slides.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport operations resumed shortly after the aircraft was cleared from the runway.
Passengers on board described the moments of the aborted takeoff as tense but expressed gratitude for the crew’s professionalism. “You could feel something was wrong during takeoff, but the crew acted quickly and kept us informed,” one passenger said.
Images via X (Twitter)
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