Delta Air Lines Airbus A330-300 returns to airport after engine explosions during takeoff

English Posted on  —by Carro e motos
Airbus A330-300. Photo: Delta Air Lines
Airbus A330-300. Photo: Delta Air Lines

A Delta Air Lines Airbus A330-300 was forced to return in an emergency to São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport on Sunday night, March 29, after suffering a failure in the left engine shortly after takeoff.

The incident involved Delta Flight 104, which was traveling from São Paulo to Atlanta with 288 people on board, including passengers and crew. According to the airline, the aircraft experienced a mechanical issue shortly after departure and landed safely at the same airport.

In a statement, Delta said the Airbus A330-300 returned to its departure airport after the failure was identified, and that the landing occurred without incident. After landing, the aircraft was met by the airport’s firefighting team, while passengers were transported by bus to the terminal.

Initial reports indicate that the failure in the left engine occurred shortly after rotation for takeoff, with explosions and flames reported. Fragments are said to have hit an area near the runway, causing a small fire on the ground.

X @aviationbrk
X @aviationbrk

Air traffic controllers reportedly alerted the crew to signs of fire on the wing, which led to the declaration of an emergency. The crew then conducted an immediate return and performed a safe landing, with no injuries reported.

The aircraft involved is an Airbus A330-323 registered N813NW. The aircraft, with about 19 years of service, remains grounded for technical inspections following the incident.

The causes of the failure will still be investigated. Among the possibilities being considered are a bird strike or ingestion of debris by the engine. In Brazil, the occurrence is expected to be investigated by the Aeronautical Accidents Investigation and Prevention Center (CENIPA).

Source and images: Delta Air Lines | X @aviationbrk. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.

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