Payam Javan: An American Airlines flight bound for Charlotte, North Carolina, was forced to return to Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas on Wednesday morning after the crew reported smoke emanating from the left engine. Flight 1665, an Airbus A321 carrying 153 passengers and six crew members, took off at approximately 8:10 a.m. local time but landed safely back at the airport just ten minutes later, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The aircraft taxied to the gate under its own power, allowing passengers to deplane normally, though the plane has been taken out of service for a thorough evaluation.

The incident, which prompted an FAA investigation, follows reports from first-class passenger Patrick Chapin, who described hearing a loud boom followed by a persistent rumbling noise, likening it to “a tire iron inside a dryer.” American Airlines praised the professionalism of its crew and is working to rebook passengers, with a recovery flight scheduled for Thursday at 1:00 p.m. This event adds to recent aviation safety concerns, as the industry faces scrutiny following incidents like a cockpit smoke evacuation in Georgia in April and an engine fire on a Boeing 737-800 in March, amid 103 fatal and 426 non-fatal crashes reported in 2025 by the National Transportation Safety Board.