A plane carrying 159 passengers, including an Idaho Falls native, made an emergency landing at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas after reporting an engine issue. The flight, operated by American Airlines, took off from the Las Vegas airport at 8:20 a.m. bound for Charlotte Douglas International Airport but was forced to turn back due to concerns about one of its engines.
According to passenger Piper Johnson, who is from Idaho Falls and traveling with her boyfriend, there was a sudden loud bang on takeoff followed by multiple popping sounds resembling gunshots. The plane took a sharp turn and landed just 15 minutes later. Firefighters and emergency responders were on standby as the aircraft taxied to the gate.
The maintenance team inspected the engine after landing and found no signs of a fire. However, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating the incident and American Airlines has announced that it will be taking the aircraft out of service for evaluation. The airline apologized for the disruption and thanked its crew for their professionalism in handling the situation.
Source: https://www.eastidahonews.com/2025/06/idaho-falls-native-recalls-scary-moments-on-flight-as-plane-experiencing-engine-issue-returns-to-las-vegas