A Delta Air Lines Airbus A330–300 operating flight DL104 from São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport to Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport suffered a catastrophic left engine failure seconds after take-off on the night of 29 March 2026. The aircraft, registered N813NW, was carrying 272 passengers and 14 crew members. The flight crew declared a mayday and executed an immediate return, landing safely at Guarulhos approximately 10 minutes after departure. No injuries were reported.
The incident occurred during the initial climb phase. Witnesses on the ground and passengers in the rear cabin reported hearing multiple loud bangs followed by sustained flames trailing from the left engine. Air traffic control at Guarulhos identified the fire from the tower and alerted the crew. The pilots halted their ascent at approximately 4,500 feet and initiated emergency return procedures.
Burning debris ejected from the engine fell onto a grassy area adjacent to the runway, igniting a brush fire within the airport perimeter. Metallic fragments were also recovered from the runway surface. With runway 10R/28L already closed for scheduled maintenance, the A330 was compelled to land on runway 10L, the same strip from which it had departed. The combination of debris on the active runway and the brush fire forced airport authorities to temporarily suspend all operations, disrupting schedules for several international departures at one of South America’s busiest aviation hubs.
Upon touchdown, the aircraft was met by Airport Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) teams as a standard precaution for engine related emergencies. Passengers were subsequently deplaned via buses on the tarmac and transported to the terminal. Delta Air Lines has confirmed it is working to re–accommodate affected travellers on alternative flights.
The aircraft involved is a 19-year-old A330–323 powered by two Pratt & Whitney PW4168A engines. It originally entered service with Northwest Airlines in December 2006 and was transferred to the Delta Air Lines fleet following the merger between the two carriers in 2008, retaining its original registration N813NW. Delta operates 31 A330–300s in its fleet, of which 28 are currently in active service with an average fleet age of 17.2 years.
In a statement, Delta Air Lines said the return was the result of a mechanical issue with the aircraft’s left engine, adding that the safety of its customers and crew remains its highest priority. A bird strike is among the suspected causes, reportedly reinforced by a sighting from another aircraft in the area shortly before DL104’s departure. However, this has not been confirmed by investigators.
The formal investigation will be led by Brazil’s Centre for Investigation and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents (CENIPA), with potential involvement from the United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) given the American operator and the US manufactured engines involved. The aircraft remains out of service on one of Guarulhos’ taxiways pending technical inspection.
The incident is the latest in a series of engine related emergencies involving Delta aircraft in recent months. In February 2026, a Delta Boeing 737–900 experienced an engine loss during take-off from Savannah, Georgia, which also ignited a grass fire. In July 2025, a Delta Boeing 767–400 suffered an engine fire after departing Los Angeles, requiring an emergency return. In both cases, all passengers and crew were unharmed.
