May 12—An American Airlines flight departing San Francisco International Airport on Friday encountered an issue that caused its engine to emit a "puff of smoke" and leave debris on the runway, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Flight AA1175, operated by an Airbus A321-200, took off from Runway 01R, with smoke visible from the aircraft's left engine. The crew continued the flight, climbing to an altitude of 35,000 feet before heading to Dallas-Fort Worth, aviation data shows.
An American Airlines spokesperson said in a statement that the plane "experienced a mechanical issue while departing from San Francisco that did not impact the safety of flight or prevent the aircraft from continuing" its scheduled trip.
The airline has not disclosed whether the crew was aware of the smoke or whether they made the decision to continue based on the information available at the time of departure.
The spokesperson added that the plane landed safely at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport nearly three hours later. Following the landing, a routine runway inspection revealed debris, which was later identified as a left-engine thrust reverser liner. The FAA confirmed that the debris had been recovered from the runway. No injuries were reported.
As a result of the incident, American Airlines grounded the aircraft for further inspection and maintenance.
"Safety is our top priority and we are investigating this incident," the spokesperson said.
As of Monday, the plane remained out of service.
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