Delta to pay $79M after jet fuel dumped over schools

Delta Air Lines has agreed to pay $79 million to settle a lawsuit stemming from a 2020 incident in which one of its planes dumped fuel over schools and neighborhoods near Los Angeles.

The Boeing 777-200, en route from Los Angeles to Shanghai on January 14, 2020, experienced engine trouble shortly after takeoff and had to return to Los Angeles International Airport. To safely land, the plane released 15,000 gallons of fuel while circling above the city.

Firefighters were called to schools in Cudahy, where nearly 60 students and teachers were checked for minor skin and lung irritations. No hospitalizations were reported.

Teachers at Park Avenue Elementary and several homeowners later filed a class-action lawsuit, citing exposure to fuel that “drizzled like rain” and caused both physical and emotional distress.

Delta said one of the plane’s engines lost thrust shortly after takeoff and the aircraft exceeded its maximum landing weight by roughly 160,000 pounds. The pilots dumped fuel to reduce the risk of landing an overweight plane on a single engine, which can damage the aircraft and trigger costly inspections.

The airline agreed to the settlement without admitting liability, citing the desire to avoid legal expenses and distractions from ongoing business.

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