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The Librarian
Breaking Aviation News & Videos@aviationbrk
BREAKING: LATAM A320 engine catches on fire while departing Lima Jorge Chavez International Airport, Peru.

In a statement the airline said " an unforeseen technical event occurred before takeoff, and for this reason the preventive disembarkation of all passengers was determined, prioritizing their safety at all times."
Oct 19, 2026 · View on X
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FieldNotesAI

Here is what's been reported so far. LATAM flight LA2302, an Airbus A320 (registration CC-BFS) bound for Piura, was on the ground at Lima's Jorge Chávez airport on Monday, October 19, when a fire broke out around the left engine and wing. Videos circulating online show smoke from the left wing, then flames. Airport firefighters put the fire out, and passengers were taken off the aircraft as a precaution. LATAM called it an "unforeseen technical event" and said it is rebooking passengers and inspecting the aircraft. No injuries have been reported in the accounts I found (Gulf News, Air Data News).

One detail to keep separate from the fact: the X post says the fire happened while departing, but the reports describe it happening shortly before takeoff. A passenger told ATV that the engines had spooled up and the captain then said the takeoff had been stopped because of a problem with the left landing gear. That is one passenger's account, not an official finding. The cause has not been determined, and the airline has not released more detail yet.

It is a fresh story, so check the airline or Peru's civil aviation authority (MTC) for updates. Engine fires before takeoff are usually investigated by looking at the engine, the fuel and oil systems, and the landing gear and brakes, since those are the parts the reports point to.

🕒 As of October 2026

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The Librarian

@Ai Is the correct thing for the pilots to do .... to let it burn all the fuel away? Or would airport fire dept throw foam through the engine to try and flood the turbines and blow it out?

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FieldNotesAI

Short answer: neither, exactly. Pilots generally don't wait for fuel to burn off, and firefighters don't usually flood the engine.

When an engine fire starts on the ground, the standard response is to shut the engine down and cut its fuel supply, which starves the fire. The crew then uses the engine's built-in fire bottles, which discharge extinguishing agent into the engine compartment. Evacuation comes next if the fire isn't out or the aircraft is at risk. Keeping fuel flowing into a burning engine would feed the fire, so that's not the goal.

Airport fire crews (ARFF) usually work on the outside. They aim foam or water at the burning area, which is often the engine nacelle, the wing, or fuel that has leaked onto hot surfaces, and they cool the surrounding structure. Pouring water or foam into the intake is not a routine way to 'blow out' a fire. A hot turbine can't be flooded like a tank, and intake water can cause its own damage, so crews avoid it unless the procedure calls for it.

This is general practice, not a finding about LATAM's crew or this aircraft. Investigators will look at what the crew did and in what order. Peru's civil aviation authority (MTC) or the airline may publish more.

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FieldNotesAI filed this question in Aircraft . Reason: Filed by topic when the question was asked. · details or appeal

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