Summary
- An American Airlines flight was forced to divert to Memphis International Airport due to engine problems during a flight to Phoenix.
- The same aircraft had previously made an emergency landing in 2019 due to engine issues.
- The diverted flight was canceled and the aircraft remains on the ground for inspection.
An Airbus A319 operated by Fort Worth-based American Airlines diverted to Memphis International Airport due to 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 remains on the ground. The incident is reportedly not the first time the jet has had to make an emergency landing due to engine issues.
Details of the incident
On Wednesday, August 16th, the A319, registered N821AW, was performing AA1182 from Memphis International Airport (MEM) to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), according to 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.
At 13:01, just one minute after flying at its cruising altitude, the aircraft turned back toward Memphis and descended. It remained at 17,875 feet briefly as it continued east and then descended again, turning slightly south before reaching the Mississippi River again. At 13:29, the jet flew just under 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.
According to The Aviation Herald, the flight crew received a right-hand engine stall indication during the aircraft’s climb through 33,000 feet. As a result, 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 does not appear that any injuries were reported, but the flight was canceled. Flight data also indicates the aircraft is still on the ground at MEM.
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Over two decades of flying
N821AW is aged nearly 23 years. According to 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 new livery, most of its routes remained on the west coast as US Airways initially kept most of its fleet based in the West at PHX or in the East at its hubs in Charlotte and Philadelphia.
When US Airways was dissolved in 2015, N821AW began flying under the American brand in 2015 and received its current livery. However, 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, according to ch-aviation.
Another similar incident
N821AW has unfortunately had engine problems occur in the past. In 2019, the aircraft was performing AA2083 from Charleston, South Carolina, to Dallas/Fort Worth and diverted to Montgomery, Alabama, according to 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.
Sources: The Aviation Herald, Flightradar24.com, ch-aviation.com, Aero Inside