United States of America

Delta Flight Evacuated After Engine Fire at Orlando Airport

Published APR 23 2025

Story

Above: Delta Air Lines Airbus A330-300 wide body passenger airplane spotted taking off from Polderbaan runway departing from Amsterdam Schiphol AMS Airport to Minneapolis USA MSP airport as flight DL163. Image credit: Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images

The Facts

Delta Air Lines Flight 1213, an Airbus A330 bound for Atlanta, experienced an engine fire just before takeoff at Orlando International Airport at approximately 11:15 a.m. on April 21, 2025, forcing an emergency evacuation of all passengers and crew.
CNN
FOX 35 Orlando
Video footage captured by airport witnesses showed flames and smoke rising from the aircraft’s right engine, while passengers were seen evacuating the plane using emergency slides onto the tarmac.
New York Post
Guardian
At the time of the incident, the aircraft carried 282 passengers, 10 flight attendants, and two pilots. Though there were no initial reports of injuries, three people were taken to hospital for minor burns, according to Fox 35.
Sky News
The Jerusalem Post
FOX 35 Orlando
In a statement published on X, Orlando International Airport said that the “Aircraft Rescue & Fire Fighting team promptly responded” and contained the blaze. Delta Air Lines, meanwhile, thanked customers for their cooperation and apologized for the incident.
X
BBC News
The incident is currently under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), along with a separate case involving Delta Air Lines Flight 1030 — a Boeing 757-200 that was forced to return to Orlando International Airport the same day due to a “possible pressurization issue.”
FAA
Flight 1213’s combustion comes amid a series of high-profile aviation accidents, including one involving a Delta Air Lines flight to Toronto, which crash-landed on Feb. 17, with all 80 passengers surviving the incident.
BBC News
The Sun

Sources Split

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The Spin

Narrative A

The swift and professional response to this incident from Delta's flight crew and airport emergency services prevented what could have been a catastrophic incident, demonstrating the effectiveness of safety protocols and emergency procedures in aviation operations.

FOX 35 Orlando

Narrative B

This incident adds to a concerning pattern of recent aviation safety issues, including a fatal helicopter collision near Washington, DC, and a Delta plane crash in Toronto, raising questions about the overall state of aviation safety in North America.

The Sun

BBC News