Boston, United States: An American Airlines flight to Philadelphia was forced to return to Boston Logan International Airport on Sunday evening after the crew declared a mayday due to multiple system malfunctions, according to federal regulators and air traffic control recordings.
The flight, identified as American Airlines Flight 2616, departed Boston Logan at approximately 6:45 p.m. on August 17, 2025, en route to Philadelphia. About ten minutes after departure, the captain radioed a mayday, citing significant automation failures. In audio captured by LiveATC.net,
The pilot said: “We’ve had multiple failures including navigation and automation. We’ve lost the autopilot, lost the auto-thrust, and have a disagreement between both flight management systems.”
The aircraft involved was a 2013 Airbus A321-211, carrying about 200 passengers and more than three hours of fuel. Flight-tracking data showed the jet circled briefly before returning to Logan, where it landed safely at approximately 7:30 p.m. local time. No injuries were reported.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed the emergency. In a statement the agency said: “The crew of American Airlines Flight 2616 declared an emergency and returned to Logan International Airport after reporting multiple flight system issues. The aircraft landed safely.”
American Airlines attributed the problem to a maintenance issue. “The aircraft landed under its own power and has been taken out of service for inspection,” a spokesperson told People. The airline added that passengers were rebooked on later flights.
The emergency comes amid heightened attention on airline reliability. In a comparable case last month, a United Airlines Boeing 787 operating Flight 108 declared a mayday after experiencing engine failure shortly after takeoff from Washington Dulles. The aircraft dumped fuel and circled before landing safely. The FAA confirmed it has launched an investigation into the American Airlines incident. The aircraft remains out of service pending inspection.
