A Delta Air Lines Airbus A330-300 had to return to São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport in an emergency on the night of Sunday, March 29, after suffering a failure in the left engine shortly after takeoff.
The incident involved Delta flight 104, which was heading from São Paulo to Atlanta with 288 people on board, including passengers and crew. According to the airline, the aircraft developed a mechanical problem shortly after departure and landed safely at the same airport.
In a statement, the Delta reported that the Airbus A330-300 returned to the terminal of origin after identifying the fault, and the landing occurred without incident. After landing, the aircraft was received by the airport’s firefighting team, while passengers were transported by bus to the terminal.
Initial reports indicate that the failure of the left engine occurred shortly after the rotation for takeoff, with explosions and flames recorded. Fragments would have hit an area close to the runway, causing a small fire on the ground.
Air traffic controllers reportedly alerted the crew to signs of fire on the wing, which led to the emergency declaration. The crew then conducted an immediate return and landed safely, with no injuries reported.
The aircraft involved is an Airbus A330-323 with registration N813NW. The plane, which has been in operation for around 19 years, remains on the ground for technical inspections after the incident.
The causes of the failure are yet to be determined. Among the possibilities analyzed are impact with a bird or ingestion of debris by the engine. In Brazil, the occurrence must be investigated by the Center for Investigation and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents, CENIPA.
Delta Air Lines Airbus A330-323 returns safely to Sao Paulo Guarulhos International Airport after failure of its left engine shortly after departure.
In a statement the airline said, “Delta Flight 104 from Sao Paulo to Atlanta returned to the airport shortly after takeoff on… pic.twitter.com/VMTOVOfK2j
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) March 30, 2026
Source and images: Delta Air Lines | X @aviationbrk. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
