On Jan 26th 2026, an Envoy Air Embraer ERJ-175 operating on behalf of American Airlines was forced to divert after suffering engine trouble while cruising high above Texas. The aircraft, registered N208AN, was performing flight AA-3573 from Dallas/Fort Worth to Midland with 36 people on board when the incident unfolded.
While en route at flight level 280, approximately 110 nautical miles southeast of Lubbock, the flight crew detected issues with the oil system of one of the aircraft’s CF34 engines. The situation escalated into an engine failure, prompting the crew to immediately divert to Lubbock as a precaution. Air traffic control cleared the aircraft for a direct descent, and the jet left cruising altitude to begin its diversion.
The ERJ-175 landed safely on Lubbock’s runway 17R roughly 40 minutes after departing FL280, bringing the flight to a controlled and uneventful end despite the seriousness of the failure. No injuries were reported, and passengers were able to disembark normally after arrival.
To complete the journey, American Airlines dispatched a replacement Embraer ERJ-175, registration N281NN, which later carried the stranded passengers to Midland. The substitute flight arrived with a delay of approximately four hours and fifteen minutes.
As of about 41 hours after the diversion, the occurrence aircraft remained grounded in Lubbock, where maintenance teams continued inspections and repairs. The incident once again highlighted the importance of in-flight monitoring systems and crew decision-making, allowing a potentially more serious situation to end with a safe landing and no harm to those on board.
