2 Feb 20268:51 reconstruction2K views

FedEx FX-1338 Loses Its Left Engine After Leaving Norfolk

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FedEx FX-1338 had only recently departed Norfolk when the crew stopped the climb and reported a problem with the left engine. The Airbus A300 returned to Norfolk on one engine and landed safely about 25 minutes after departure.

“The crew subsequently reported they were effectively single engine.”

Timeline
1
February 2, 2026 — FX-1338 departed Norfolk Runway 23 for Memphis.
2
Shortly after departure — The crew requested to level at 3,000 feet because of a left-engine problem.
3
During the return — The crew reported they were effectively single-engine and declared an emergency.
4
About 25 minutes after departure — The aircraft landed safely on Runway 23 at Norfolk.
5
After landing — The aircraft remained at Norfolk for approximately 14 hours.

The Climb Stops at 3,000 Feet

On February 2, 2026, FedEx Airbus A300-600 N748FD departed Norfolk International Airport for Memphis. The aircraft was climbing from Runway 23 when the crew requested to level at 3,000 feet and advised ATC of an issue involving the Pratt & Whitney PW4158 engine.

AeroInside reported that the crew subsequently described the aircraft as effectively single-engine and declared an emergency. The aircraft then turned back toward Norfolk instead of continuing to Memphis.

Contemporary incident reporting identifies the aircraft as N748FD and Flight FX-1338. The reports do not establish the underlying reason the engine shut down, so no specific specific component failure should be presented as fact.

Back to Runway 23

The aircraft returned to Norfolk and landed on Runway 23 approximately 25 minutes after departure. The incident account states the freighter remained on the ground in Norfolk for roughly 14 hours afterward.

No injuries were reported. The event remained an incident rather than an accident, and the reported accounts do not provide a final mechanical cause. The documented record is limited to the documented engine malfunction, the crew’s decision to return, the single-engine condition reported in ATC, and the safe landing.

The incident reports are consistent on the central sequence but not on a final mechanical explanation. The aircraft was an Airbus A300-600 freighter, registration N748FD, and the affected powerplant was identified as a Pratt & Whitney PW4158. The crew stopped the climb at 3,000 feet, reported the engine problem and returned to the departure airport.

The aircraft remained at Norfolk after the landing rather than immediately returning to service. The extended ground time indicates that the aircraft required follow-up attention, but it does not establish a particular mechanical failure. The reported accounts do not establish whether the engine problem came from a component failure, an external event or another cause.

The safe return also matters because the aircraft was a freighter rather than a passenger service. No injuries or accident during the return or landing were reported.

Accident Facts

Incident date
2 Feb 2026
Category
Emergency, Engine failure
Reconstruction
8:51

Sources

Audio from the original air traffic control recording, sourced from public recordings and released investigation records. The reconstruction, animation and written account are our own.
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