Delta Air Lines passengers evacuated a Boeing 757-200 on emergency slides at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport after Flight 2204 returned shortly after takeoff on the way to Orlando. The aircraft landed back at the airport on a taxiway after the crew reported smoke or fumes in the cockpit, with 199 passengers and six crew members on board.
The Federal Aviation Administration opened an investigation into the incident, which took place on 8 August. Delta transferred customers to a replacement aircraft after the evacuation, and one passenger and one crew member sought medical attention. The aircraft involved was registered N555NW.
The return to Atlanta disrupted a routine hub departure at Delta’s largest operation and triggered standard emergency procedures for a mainline narrowbody aircraft. The exact source of the fumes or smoke has not been identified in the available reports and remains under investigation.