A Delta Air Lines Boeing 737-800 was forced to make an emergency landing today after it experienced a contained engine failure shortly after take-off and shedded engine parts onto the ground.

The aircraft, powered by CFM56-7B-26 engines, returned to Fort Lauderdale at 08:00hr shortly after departure for a flight to Minneapolis after an engine shut down, says a US FAA spokeswoman.

It landed without incident, and the aircraft's passengers deplaned by stairs at the airport's taxiway, she adds.

"The FAA's preliminary inspection of the engine revealed that it was a contained failure. Engine turbine blades exited the rear of the engine, they did not penetrate the engine cover," says the spokeswoman.

Delta was not contactable for comment. The airline operates a fleet of 73 737-800s, according to Flightglobal's ACAS database. All of them are powered by CFM56 engines.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news