Emergency in Zurich: Swiss Airbus with 209 passengers forced to abort landing

A long-haul flight of Swiss International Air Lines was forced to abort its initial landing approach in Zurich after the crew detected a problem with the aircraft’s flaps, aviation sources reported.

The incident occurred on March 14, 2026, when an Airbus A340-300, registration HB-JMA, operating flight LX189 from Shanghai to Zurich, was approaching Zurich Airport with 209 people on board, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.

According to aviation incident reports, the aircraft was descending through approximately 2,300 feet on final approach to runway 14 when the flight crew initiated a missed approach after encountering a technical problem with the aircraft’s flap system.

Flaps are critical control surfaces used during landing to increase lift and allow aircraft to descend at lower speeds. In this case, the airline later confirmed that the flaps could not be extended, forcing the pilots to abandon the landing attempt.

After the go-around, the aircraft climbed to around 4,000 feet, repositioned for another approach, and eventually landed safely on runway 16 at higher than normal speed about 30 minutes later.

Despite the technical issue, the landing was completed without injuries to passengers or crew.

Data indicates the aircraft remained on the ground in Zurich for more than 22 hours after landing, suggesting technical inspections were underway.

The Airbus A340-300 involved in the incident is a long-range wide-body aircraft commonly used on intercontinental routes such as the Shanghai–Zurich corridor, one of Swiss International Air Lines’ key Asia-Europe connections.

Aviation safety specialists note that go-around procedures are a standard precaution when pilots encounter abnormal aircraft configurations during landing.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada