Why Delta Edinburgh-New York flight plane wing burst into flames over Scotland, as passengers left crying

One of the world’s biggest passenger aircraft manufacturers has been urged to prove that its jetliners are safe after a transatlantic flight from Scotland suffered contained engine failure, with flames shooting out from one of its wings.

Passengers on board the Boeing aircraft filmed dramatic footage of the incident last year, with flames visible and holidaymakers crying as the flight from Edinburgh to New York was forced to make an emergency landing at Glasgow Prestwick Airport.

Now, a report by Britain’s air safety watchdog has scrutinised the “serious” incident, in which a high-pressure turbine blade on the Boeing 767 fractured in the right engine, damaging a further five blades.

The resultant vibrations caused an element known as a slat track housing drain tube to fracture in the wind, allowing fuel to escape from the right wing fuel tank. As the plane was diverted to Prestwick, fuel escaping from the wing was ignited by the hot engine exhaust.

While no one was injured in the incident, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch’s report has made a safety recommendation to the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that requires Boeing to demonstrate the design of the slat track housing drain tube on its 767 fleet continues to comply with the certification requirements for large transport aircraft.

The report into last February’s flight, operated by Delta Airlines, found the crew were unaware of any flames until after the flight, when it was met by emergency service teams at Prestwick.

The AAIB explained: “After the aircraft arrived on stand, the airport fire service noticed the fuel coming from the right wing and put provisions in place to capture the fuel, preventing it igniting on the hot engine or brakes.” The AIB said the fuel coming out of the wing indicated “potential for a more significant event to have occurred”.

The watchdog’s report added: “The brake temperatures were monitored when the aircraft was on stand and the initial readings were in excess of the fuel ignition temperature. No ignition took place, but this did present significant potential for a fuel fire.”

The AAIB report notes Boeing subsequently reviewed the design of the drain tube and found “there was no increased risk to a catastrophic outcome from a failed drain tube”. A review of that analysis by the FAA is pending.

At the time of the incident, Delta Airlines said the flight had been “safely diverted” to Prestwick after what it described as “a mechanical issue”. One of the passengers on board, Euan O’Donnell, told The Scotsman of the scenes that played out, with a persistent “loud, eerie” noise being heard.

“We got an announcement which was barely [audible] because of the noise, saying along the lines that we have to make an emergency landing at Prestwick and that we had [to[ buckle our seatbelts,” he recalled.

“From back right of where I was, I heard a young girl shout ‘there is a fire’, then I got footage of the fire from the person next to me whose daughter recorded it. A lot of people were crying and the noise would go on and off. And the lights were going on and off.”

Boeing has been approached for comment.