An engine failure is a scary moment for passengers on any plane, especially when you are in flight. This weekend, Delta and 159 passengers encountered an engine failure mid-air during a flight departing Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson international airport en route to the Phoenix Sky Harbor international airport.

Delta flight 2046 on Saturday, April 7 encountered engine failure as the plane was making its descent into Phoenix Sky Harbor. One of the two engines on the Boeing 757 plane shut down forcing the pilots to declare an emergency. The plane in question appears to have been a 757-200 type.

The Delta pilots followed procedure and landed the plane safely with only one of two engines operational at around 2:35 PM. No injuries were reported out of the 159 passengers and Delta apologized for the inconvenience.

According to Delta, they operate 154 of the 757-200 with an average age of 18.7 years. They also operate 16 of the 757-300 with an average age of 8.8 years. The airplane in question was immediately taken to maintenance but the reason for the engine failure is not known.

Fortunately the twin engine 757 can operate with only one engine. Have you ever encountered an engine failure before, during, or after flight?

Sign up to have blog posts sent directly via email, join us on Twitter and Facebook or check back with us at Points, Miles & Martinis