South Carolina-Bound Delta Flight Made Emergency Landing After Smoke Was Detected

Picture credits: AirNavRadar

USA: A Delta Air Lines flight returned to Atlanta on Monday morning after smoke was detected inside the cabin, prompting an emergency evacuation upon landing. The Boeing 717, operating as Flight 876, was en route to South Carolina with 99 passengers and crew members when the pilot made the decision to turn back to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport around 8:30 a.m.

As soon as the aircraft landed, passengers were evacuated using emergency slides. No injuries were reported. Footage captured before landing showed a haze inside the cabin, with some passengers covering their faces.

Another passenger told CNN that the cabin began filling with smoke within minutes of takeoff. “At first, some of us were confused about what was happening, but then people started shouting ‘smoke, smoke.’ It felt like we were in the air for a long time before finally landing,” the passenger said.

Watch the video of smoke filled cabin below:

A spokesperson for Delta confirmed the incident and stated that the flight crew followed established safety procedures after noticing the haze. “The safety of our customers and employees is our top priority, and we regret the experience our passengers faced,” the spokesperson said. The Federal Aviation Administration has launched an investigation.

In the audio obtained by 11Alive on Monday evening, the pilots can be heard communicating with the control tower during the incident. One pilot says, “There is smoke in the cabin and I need to plan a return back.” The pilots also requested fire trucks and emergency vehicles to assist.

Aviation expert Alan Armstrong said the pilots were right to make an emergency landing given the circumstances. He added that it was better to act quickly than to delay.

“It’s not discretionary; it’s mandatory. If you’re unsure whether your airplane is airworthy, you need to put it on the ground reasonably soon” Armstrong stated.

This incident comes just two days after another Delta flight, traveling from Los Angeles to Sydney, had to turn back due to smoke in the galley. That flight, an Airbus A350-900 with 162 passengers on board, landed safely at Los Angeles International Airport. Delta later issued a statement emphasizing that its crew followed proper safety protocols.

The airline has also been dealing with the aftermath of a separate emergency last week, when a Delta aircraft crash-landed at Toronto Pearson International Airport. The flight, which departed from Minneapolis, overturned on a snowy runway and caught fire. Delta later offered compensation to those on board.

Stay tuned to Aviation Today for more such updates.