Miami: A Delta plane's engine failed in mid-air over Florida, forcing the flight to make an emergency landing on Sunday morning, authorities said.
Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said it was a so-called "contained" engine failure, meaning small parts such as fan blades came out the back of the engine. A more dangerous scenario would be if the pieces penetrated the engine's cover and were uncontained.
It was not immediately clear what caused the failure, Bergen said.
Sheriff's deputies recovered pieces of what appeared to be the damaged engine from an area near the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, said Broward County Aviation Department spokesman Greg Meyer.
The plane returned to the airport shortly after its 7:45 am takeoff and landed safely, Meyer said. The 140 passengers headed for Minneapolis are being rebooked on other flights.
A Delta spokesperson could not be reached for comment.
Bureau Report
First Published: Monday, February 21, 2011, 13:36