On social media, a viral video captured a shocking moment as American Airlines passengers evacuated a flight via the wing of the plane after landing in Georgia.
Passengers on an American Airlines flight experienced a frightening moment when smoke filled the cabin upon landing in Georgia.
Video footage captured passengers evacuating onto the wing before being assisted to safety. Officials later determined the cause to be an electrical issue.
Passengers evacuate plane after emergency landing in Georgia
An American Airlines flight made a tense landing at Augusta Regional Airport on Tuesday. Passengers were forced to evacuate through the aircraft’s wings after smoke spread through the cabin.
Sean O’Conor, a passenger on board, captured the scene on video.
The footage was shared on X, showing travelers carrying luggage while stepping down from the wing.
“It smelled like the brakes were burning or something, the cabin was filled with smoke, and we climbed out on the wing,” a voice says in the footage. “It looks like everybody is safe. Welcome to Augusta.”
Despite the scare, all passengers were reported safe.
Social media reaction
The video quickly went viral and sparked mixed outrage on social media.
In the comment section, many viewers expressed their outrage over the decline of the aviation industry, while others also voiced concerns about growing aviation safety issues.
One person said: I swear there is something nefarious going on with planes and airports.
A second wrote: Emblematic of the entire trump era.
While a third: Bring back the nice passenger trains with dining cars and lounges.face-blue-wide-eyes.
Another added: How many red flags is this? What in the world of airplanes is going on in 2025!
Someone else said: Wow, who would have thought that cutting funding for air traffic control and laying off safety inspectors could lead to problems?
Why evacuate from the wing? It’s not water ditching. What if the engine explosion? Another user added.
American Airlines confirms incident and ensures passenger safety
American Airlines later addressed the emergency in a statement. The airline confirmed that American Eagle Flight 5406, operated by PSA Airlines, experienced a maintenance issue after landing.
Officials assured passengers that proper procedures were followed to ensure their well-being. Additionally, The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) launched an investigation into the incident.
While, A spokesperson confirmed that the crew reported smoke in the cabin shortly after landing.
Following an inspection, airport officials determined that an electrical issue had caused the smoke. No injuries were reported
Passengers forced to evacuate onto the wings
On the X platform, a user named @flynnstone shared a video showing passengers forced to evacuate onto the wings after a plane burst into flames at Denver International Airport.
The video has the caption: “American Airlines flight 4012 just caught fire at Denver airport.”
Footage from the latest incident shows passengers standing on the wings of a Boeing 737-800.
The Texas-bound flight caught fire midair, prompting an emergency landing. While, American Airlines Flight 1006 departed from Colorado Springs to Dallas Fort Worth.
Additionally, The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that the crew detected ‘engine vibrations’ mid-flight.
The plane safely diverted to Denver International Airport at 5:15 PM local time. Viral videos show smoke and flames pouring from an engine as 172 passengers and six crew members evacuated.
Airport officials confirmed all passengers were safely evacuated. However, 12 people sustained minor injuries and were taken to the hospital.
The FAA has launched an investigation. Flight-tracking data reveals the aircraft was 13 years old at the time of the incident.