VIDEO: Boeing Cargo Plane Catches Fire In Sky, Makes Emergency Landing In Miami

A Boeing cargo plane en route to Puerto Rico was forced to return to Miami International Airport in the US shortly after takeoff due to an engine failure on Friday, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said. The incident added to the recent challenges faced by Boeing, which has been under scrutiny for quality control issues.

According to American media website New York Times, Atlas Air Flight 5Y095 safely landed after encountering an "engine malfunction" shortly after departure, according to the airline's statement on Friday. Ground footage captured flames appearing to shoot from the plane during the flight. The video of the incident went viral.

The Boeing 747 cargo plane whose engine caught on fire in Miami last night was pretty new, with the flight certificate issued by the FAA in November 2015. A softball sized hole was found above engine number 2. Flight 5Y95 landed safely back at Miami 14 mins after takeoff. pic.twitter.com/lgAnwavTej

— Ryan Petersen (@typesfast) January 19, 2024

The FAA's initial report indicated a "softball-size hole" above the No 2 engine, discovered during an inspection after the flight landed. Further investigation into the incident will be conducted by the FAA, reported NY Times.

Atlas Air said that the crew followed standard operating procedures and safely returned to the airport. The airline stated, "At Atlas, safety is always our top priority, and we will be conducting a thorough inspection to determine the cause."

The nature of the cargo onboard the plane remains unclear.

FlightAware data revealed that the aircraft, identified as a Boeing 747-8, departed from Miami International at 10:11 p.m. on Thursday and returned to the airport around 10:30, according to the FAA.

Boeing deferred comments to Atlas Air in response to the incident. Atlas Air, established in 1992 and headquartered in New York, boasts the world's largest fleet of Boeing 747 freighter aircraft, according to its website. The airline also provides various planes, including Boeing 777s and 737s, for cargo and passenger operations.

Boeing has faced mounting issues since late December when it urged airlines to inspect all 737 Max airplanes for a possible loose bolt in the rudder-control system. In early January, a door panel blew off a 737 Max 9 plane operated by Alaska Airlines, leading to an emergency landing and the temporary grounding of 171 Max 9 planes.

FAA officials stated on Wednesday that the initial inspections of 40 Boeing 737 Max 9 planes had been completed, but the grounded status would persist until the agency approved the instructions for airlines to inspect the planes. Meanwhile, Airbus, Boeing's rival, announced that it had delivered more aircraft and secured more orders than Boeing in 2023, amid Boeing's ongoing challenges.