LIMA, Peru — A domestic flight carrying passengers from Lima to Piura was abruptly halted on October 19, 2026, after an engine fire broke out on a LATAM Airlines Airbus A320 shortly before takeoff at Jorge Chávez International Airport. Emergency services responded quickly to extinguish the blaze, and no injuries were reported among those on board.
Incident Details
The aircraft operating Flight LA2302 was preparing for departure on the tarmac when an unexpected technical failure occurred in the left engine area.
Video footage captured by passengers and airport onlookers showed intense flames burst beneath the left wing, sending thick plumes of dark smoke into the air. Passengers on board described the aircraft powering up its engines in preparation for takeoff before the crew aborted the departure and announced the technical event.
Airport firefighting units immediately deployed to the scene and extinguished the fire.Ground crews systematically evacuated all passengers and flight crew as a precautionary safety measure.
“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,” LATAM Airlines said in an official statement.
Aircraft Profile & Aftermath
- Aircraft Type: Airbus A320-214 (A320ceo) equipped with Sharklets
- Registration: CC-BFS
- Powerplant: Two CFM International CFM56-5B4/3 engines
- Flight Route: Lima (LIM) to Piura (PIU)
LATAM Airlines confirmed that affected passengers were provided assistance, accommodation, and rebooked onto alternative flights to Piura.Operations at Jorge Chávez International Airport resumed normal schedules shortly after the scene was cleared.
The Peruvian aviation safety authority, along with technical teams from LATAM, has launched a formal investigation into the exact cause of the engine failure.
