On February 19, 2005, British Airways flight 268, a 747, took off from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) headed for London's Heathrow Airport. It would be an 11-hour, 5,000-plus-mile flight. Shortly after takeoff, only 296 feet in the air, one of the jet's four engines exploded. The pilots had to determine what course of action to take: return immediately to LAX or continue the flight. This case outlines the various options and the potential consequences of each. See also the B case, UVA-E-0295.