Summary
- An American Airlines flight was forced to divert to Memphis International Airport as a result of engine problems during a flight to Phoenix.
- The identical aircraft had previously made an emergency landing in 2019 as a result of engine issues.
- The diverted flight was canceled and the aircraft stays on the bottom for inspection.
An Airbus A319 operated by Fort Value-based American Airlines diverted to Memphis International Airport as a result of engine problems amid a flight to Phoenix last week. The flight reportedly returned to its origin with emergency responders on the scene.
Following the incident, the flight was canceled, and the aircraft stays on the bottom. The incident is reportedly not the primary time the jet has needed to make an emergency landing as a result of engine issues.
Details of the incident
On Wednesday, August sixteenth, the A319, registered N821AW, was performing AA1182 from Memphis International Airport (MEM) to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), in accordance with The Aviation Herald. Flightradar24.com data indicates that the aircraft took off from runway 36C at 12:41 after it pushed back from its gate on time at 12:25. The plane climbed rapidly and banked west over Downtown Memphis and had crossed the Mississippi River by 12:44. 16 minutes later, N821AW had reached its cruising altitude of 34,000 feet and was just north of Little Rock, Arkansas.
Photo: natmac stock/Shutterstock
At 13:01, only one minute after flying at its cruising altitude, the aircraft turned back toward Memphis and descended. It remained at 17,875 feet briefly because it continued east after which descended again, turning barely south before reaching the Mississippi River again. At 13:29, the jet flew just below 3,000 feet and turned north for its final approach. The aircraft landed safely back on runway 36C at 13:34, about 50 minutes after its departure.
Photo: Flightradar24.com
In keeping with The Aviation Herald, the flight crew received a right-hand engine stall indication through the aircraft’s climb through 33,000 feet. In consequence, the IAE V2524 engine was shut down, prompting the crew to divert back to MEM. When the plane returned, emergency vehicles followed it to the gate and attended to the aircraft for inspection. It doesn’t appear that any injuries were reported, however the flight was canceled. Flight data also indicates the aircraft remains to be on the bottom at MEM.
Over twenty years of flying
N821AW is aged nearly 23 years. In keeping with ch-aviation, it performed its first flight in December of 2000 before being delivered to Tempe, Arizona-based America West Airlines one month later. The aircraft flew under the America West brand until the airline merged with US Airways in 2007. While the plane received a brand new livery, most of its routes remained on the west coast as US Airways initially kept most of its fleet based within the West at PHX or within the East at its hubs in Charlotte and Philadelphia.
Photo: Austin Deppe/Shutterstock
When US Airways was dissolved in 2015, N821AW began flying under the American brand in 2015 and received its current livery. Nevertheless, the aircraft continues to fly primarily out of PHX. The plane has recorded nearly 70,000 flight hours and has performed over 31,000 flight cycles, in accordance with ch-aviation.
One other similar incident
N821AW has unfortunately had engine problems occur previously. In 2019, the aircraft was performing AA2083 from Charleston, South Carolina, to Dallas/Fort Value and diverted to Montgomery, Alabama, in accordance with Aero Inside.
The A319 was flying at 38,000 feet when the crew reported engine issues. After an investigation, the FAA revealed one engine was missing a cowling which caused the pilots to suspect an engine failure.