Malta Air Flight Declared Fuel MAYDAY After Three Failed Landings During Storm Amy
A Boeing 737-800 operated by Malta Air, Ryanair’s Malta-based airline, was forced to declare a fuel emergency after three unsuccessful landing attempts during Storm Amy, according to the final report published today by Britain’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB).
Flight FR3418 was travelling from Pisa to Glasgow Prestwick on 3 October 2025 with 171 passengers and six crew members on board. The aircraft involved, registered 9H-QBD, is registered in Malta. Nobody was injured.
Severe weather was affecting Scotland and northern England as Storm Amy passed through the region. The crew anticipated difficult conditions and took additional fuel before departure. Nevertheless, the situation deteriorated considerably during the flight.
The aircraft first attempted to land at Prestwick. On its first approach, a windshear warning was triggered at about 264 feet above the airfield, forcing the pilots to execute a windshear escape manoeuvre followed by a go-around. A second landing attempt was made later, but another windshear warning was triggered at around 50 feet, forcing the aircraft to climb away once again.
The pilots had already indicated that Manchester would be their preferred diversion airport if the second attempt failed. However, while returning to the holding pattern, air traffic control told them Manchester could not accept their diversion request. The AAIB report says no explanation was given to the crew for the refusal.
The pilots therefore diverted to Edinburgh.
But conditions there were little better. During the approach to Edinburgh, another windshear warning was triggered at about 745 feet, and the pilots carried out their third windshear escape manoeuvre and go-around.
By this stage, fuel had become critical.
The pilots calculated that they had about 2,100kg of fuel remaining. In comparison, they would have needed about 2,800 kg to divert to Manchester and land with the stipulated final reserve of 1,101kg. Once the Manchester approach was entered into the aircraft’s flight-management computer, it initially predicted a landing with only around 300kg remaining.
That calculation prompted the crew to declare:
“Mayday mayday mayday fuel.”
Manchester was then requested as an immediate diversion. During the flight south, low-fuel warnings illuminated for both main fuel tanks. The pilots also knew they probably would not have enough fuel to conduct another go-around.
The Malta Air aircraft eventually landed safely at Manchester with just 363kg of fuel remaining — far below its 1,101kg final reserve requirement.
One of the most striking aspects of the incident is that the aircraft ultimately landed at the same airport which had earlier been unable to accept its diversion request.
The AAIB identified problems surrounding the communication and coordination of that original request. After the incident, Manchester Airport reiterated to relevant stakeholders that it should accept diversion requests when it has capacity to receive an aircraft. It stressed that the handling agent does not decide whether to accept a diversion.
Investigators classified the incident as a serious incident.