American Airlines flight returns to Vegas airport after flames, smoke seen in engine

An American Airlines plane. Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images

(LAS VEGAS) — An American Airlines flight returned safely to Las Vegas’ Harry Reid International Airport following an “engine issue” on Wednesday morning, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

Two videos showed what appeared to be smoke and flames coming from an engine while the plane was in the sky.

Matthew Villasista was at the Las Vegas National Golf Club when he saw what appeared to be smoke coming from the plane.

“We could hear lots of booming noises, almost like a boombox. It sort of stopped us in our tracks to hear the noises,” he told ABC News.

Mark Jackson was in a parking lot when he said he heard what sounded like “large fireworks.”

“When we looked up and saw what was really happening, I was shocked and super sad thinking about how scared everyone on board must be,” Jackson told ABC News. “Those brave pilots working under some heavy pressure. It just looked like it was dropping rapidly.”

American Airlines Flight 1665 — an Airbus A321 — was heading to Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina, the FAA said.

The FAA said it’s investigating.

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