An AirAsia flight was forced to return shortly after departure when one of its engines failed during the climb, prompting the crew to declare urgency and circle back to the airport.
On March 10th 2026, an AirAsia Airbus A320-200, registration 9M-AJA, operating flight AK-585 from Manila to Kuala Lumpur, departed Manila’s runway 06 and began climbing normally after takeoff.
During the climb, however, the crew stopped their ascent at about 13,500 feet after the aircraft’s left-hand engine failed. The pilots informed air traffic control that they still had the right-hand engine available and declared a PAN PAN, signaling an urgent but not immediately life-threatening situation.
The aircraft entered a holding pattern while the crew assessed the situation and coordinated their return. After completing the necessary procedures, the pilots guided the aircraft safely back to Manila, landing on runway 06 approximately 35 minutes after departure.
Passengers on board reported unusual sounds coming from the engine during the takeoff roll and initial climb. Some described hearing strange noises before a loud bang was heard, after which the aircraft leveled off instead of continuing its climb.
Following the safe return, several maintenance technicians were seen inspecting the aircraft’s left engine on the ground.
The aircraft remained on the ground in Manila about 21 hours after landing while engineers continued examining the cause of the engine failure. The flight was ultimately unable to continue as scheduled, and the incident will likely undergo further technical review.
