Summary: An Air Canada flight to Paris experienced a serious engine malfunction shortly after takeoff from Toronto Pearson International Airport on Friday. Flames were seen shooting from the plane’s right engine, prompting the crew to declare a “PAN-PAN” distress signal. The Boeing 777, carrying 389 passengers and 13 crew members, safely returned to the airport with no injuries reported. The incident, captured on video and praised by astronaut Chris Hadfield, involved a stalled compressor. Air Canada stated that passengers were later accommodated on another flight. The event highlights concerns over recent Boeing aircraft issues but also demonstrates the effectiveness of the crew’s and air traffic controllers’ response.
In a dramatic turn of events, an Air Canada flight bound for Paris encountered a serious engine malfunction shortly after takeoff from Toronto Pearson International Airport on Friday. Flames were seen shooting out of the plane’s right engine, leading the flight crew to swiftly declare a “PAN-PAN” distress signal, indicating an urgent but non-life-threatening situation.
The Boeing 777, carrying 389 passengers and 13 crew members, departed at 12:17 am local time. Just 22 minutes into the flight, as the aircraft was ascending, the air traffic controller (ATC) observed sparks emanating from the right engine and immediately notified the crew. Eyewitnesses on the ground captured the fiery spectacle on camera.
The timely response of the flight crew and ATC was crucial in averting what could have been a catastrophic incident. Astronaut Chris Hadfield shared a video of the event on social media, praising the crew and ATC for their exemplary handling of the situation. “Superb work by the pilots and their air traffic controllers, dealing with a backfiring engine on takeoff. Heavy plane full of fuel, low cloud thunderstorms, repeated compressor stalls. Calm, competent, professional – well done!” Hadfield wrote.
A reconstruction video posted on YouTube by ‘You can see ATC’ detailed the sequence of events. The video, along with a recording of the pilot’s communication with ATC, revealed that the flight was about 1,000 feet above ground when the pilots were alerted to the engine fire. The aircraft continued to ascend to 3,000 feet before the pilots skillfully maneuvered it back to Toronto amidst challenging weather conditions, including lightning and scattered showers at 2,800 feet.
The distressed aircraft was cleared to land on Runway 23, where fire vehicles stood by in anticipation. The plane landed safely and taxied to the gate on its own, met by first responder vehicles as a precaution.
Air Canada later issued a statement on X (formerly Twitter), attributing the fire to a stalled compressor. “The aircraft landed normally, and it was met by first responder vehicles as a precaution before it taxied to the gate on its own,” the airline stated. “Passengers were accommodated on another aircraft later that same evening,” the statement added.
This incident joins a series of mishaps involving Boeing aircraft in recent months, raising concerns about the reliability of their planes. However, the proficient response by the Air Canada crew and ATC underscored the importance of rigorous training and preparedness in ensuring passenger safety. No injuries or casualties were reported, and the flight returned to the airport without further incident.
