A routine arrival turned into a highly unusual maneuver when a jetliner aborted its landing—only to briefly descend and accelerate before finally climbing away and returning safely.
On Mar 19th 2026, an Aeromexico Boeing 737-9 MAX, registration N115AM, operating flight AM-334 from Mexico City to Puerto Vallarta, was on final approach to runway 22 when the sequence unfolded.
Descending through about 800 feet MSL, the crew initiated a go-around. Initially, the aircraft climbed as expected, reaching around 1,200 feet MSL while accelerating from approximately 164 knots to 190 knots over ground. However, in an unexpected development, the climb transitioned into a descent.
The aircraft descended again to about 700 feet MSL while continuing to accelerate—reaching speeds of roughly 250 knots over ground—before finally pitching up into a sustained climb, ultimately reaching 7,000 feet MSL. The crew then repositioned the aircraft for another approach and landed safely on runway 22 about 15 minutes after the go-around.
Passengers on board, including two experienced air traffic controllers with decades of experience, described the earlier approach as unusually fast and steep. They reported anticipating a go-around due to the unstable profile, but were surprised by the aircraft’s behavior afterward, particularly the temporary descent and rapid acceleration. Based on their observations, they speculated that the aircraft’s Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) may have issued alerts during the maneuver.
Flight data supports the unusual profile. ADS-B data indicated a descent rate of approximately 1,900 feet per minute at about 925 feet MSL just before the go-around. During the maneuver, the aircraft initially climbed but then entered a descent of around 1,300 feet per minute before stabilizing into a proper climb.
Despite the irregular sequence, the crew maintained control of the aircraft throughout and executed a safe recovery. The flight concluded without further incident, underscoring both the complexity of go-around procedures and the importance of rapid corrective action when an approach becomes unstable.
