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Plane diverts to Sea-Tac after engine fire, shutdown

SEATAC, Wash. — Passengers are shaken after their Delta flight was diverted to Sea-Tac Airport after the pilot had to shut down one of two engines in mid-air as flames shot out.

Quick Facts:

  • Boeing 767-300 was traveling from Anchorage to Atlanta
  • Diverted shortly after 2 a.m. Thursday
  • Passengers saw flames shooting out of one engine
  • Pilot shut down engine and plane landed safely

The Boeing 767-300 was traveling from Anchorage to Atlanta with two pilots, six flight attendants and 255 passengers on board when it diverted shortly after 2 a.m. Thursday.

An indicator light turned on in the cockpit and the captain had to shut down one engine. Delta said it was a surge problem.

Passengers on Delta flight 246 said they saw flames shoot out of an engine and one snapped a photo.

“The flames were coming out. It was very scary and I was sitting with my two girls and just trying to keep them calm,” said passenger Stephanie Woods.

"The engine was on fire. We could see fire coming out then (the pilot) obviously shut that engine down and there was little comfort in that," said Tammy McCann.

The passengers also told KIRO 7 that after the landing, the captain came out of the cockpit with tears in his eyes. Some are calling him a hero.

"The capitan's a hero, he was amazing. He just came out and talked to us and everyone was clapping and everyone was teary and it was nuts," said Woods.

The plane landed without incident at 2:24 a.m.

The passengers said the captain and the flight crew did a great job handling the engine fire.