A Boeing 747 freight airliner caught fire in a terrifying occurrence that occurred over Miami, shocking the public and the aviation industry alike. While out for a walk with her mother, Melanie Adaros, a homeowner near the airport, accidentally became a witness to the momentous incident when she took a picture of the plane “shooting sparks.”
The eerie video shows the Boeing 747 shooting streaks of flames across the night sky; this terrifying scene has sparked questions about the safety of Boeing planes. Soon after takeoff from Miami International Airport, the engine of the Atlas Air cargo plane broke down, forcing the captain to quickly report a “mayday mayday” scenario and request immediate access back to the airport. There were five passengers on the plane as it traveled to Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in Puerto Rico.
The pilot skillfully executed an emergency landing at Miami International Airport, and the airline affirmed that the crew adhered to all standard procedures, ensuring a safe return. This incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of Boeing’s safety protocols, following a recent mishap where a window and a section of fuselage blew out of a Boeing 737-9 MAX passenger plane in Oregon.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has initiated an investigation into the Miami incident, and Atlas Air will also conduct inspections to determine the cause of the fire. In the flight audio obtained by NBC News, the pilot can be heard urgently reporting an engine fire and requesting access back to the airport.
Melanie Adaros, the inadvertent eyewitness to the terrifying event, described the abnormal scene as the plane made a wide, swerving turn in the direction of the airport. The incident has added to the growing concerns surrounding Boeing’s aircraft safety, with more than 170 planes grounded in the aftermath of the Oregon incident.
As investigations unfold, questions about the reliability of Boeing’s planes persist. A former US congressman, who previously led investigations into Boeing’s issues, criticized the company for depending on “crappy stuff” from subcontractors. The aviation community and the public await the findings of the investigations, hoping for reassurance regarding the safety of air travel on Boeing planes.