On April 20th, 2023, an American Airlines Airbus A321 passenger jet, registered N980UY, was preparing for takeoff at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) in the United States. The 10-year-old aircraft was scheduled to depart at 7.20 p.m. (UTC) and was carrying 190 passengers and 6 crew members onboard for a three-hour flight to Dallas (DFW).
Just minutes after leaving the gate, the plane’s right engine malfunctioned, resulting in flames coming from the wings. Firefighting services rushed to the scene and managed to put out the fire, luckily without any injuries being reported.
An investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was opened to determine the cause of the malfunction, which was later confirmed to be due to an unspecified mechanical issue. American Airlines released a statement expressing regret for any inconvenience caused and confirming that the aircraft was taken out of service for maintenance.