Singapore Airlines A350 Makes An Emergency Landing at Perth Airport

PERTH- A Singapore Airlines (SQ) flight traveling from Brisbane (BNE) to Singapore (SIN) was required to make an emergency landing in Perth (PER) due to an engine malfunction on July 7, 2025. The aircraft, an Airbus A350, triggered a low-pressure alert on engine 1, leading to a controlled shutdown of that engine.

The flight crew followed established safety protocols and opted to divert to Perth (PER) instead of proceeding to Darwin (DRW) or other nearby alternatives like Broome (BME) or Denpasar (DPS). This decision prioritized the need for engineering assistance and operational logistics.

Singapore Airlines Flight SQ256, which utilized a 5.5-year-old Airbus A350-900 registered as 9V-SHM, faced the low-pressure alarm while on its route from Brisbane to Singapore.

While the exact reason for the alert—whether attributed to fuel, hydraulic, or oil pressure—has not been disclosed, the crew performed a standard procedure for shutting down the engine.

Although close enough to consider landing in Broome (BME) or other nearby locations such as Darwin (DRW) and Denpasar (DPS), the decision was made to continue to Perth (PER), located roughly 1,040 miles from the aircraft’s position at the time of the incident.

This choice likely stemmed from Perth’s advanced maintenance and operational capabilities for handling a large aircraft such as the A350.

Diverting to Perth facilitated quicker transfers for passengers and allowed for immediate technical support for the aircraft.

Although Denpasar (DPS) often serves as a destination for A350 flights from various airlines, the flight path over sparsely populated areas in northern Australia considerably limited the options for emergency landing.

Following the diversion, Singapore Airlines sent a replacement Airbus A350 (registered as 9V-SHP) to Perth (PER) under the flight number SQ9225.

The new aircraft took off as flight SQ9224 at 4:40 p.m. local time on July 8, and it is anticipated to reach Singapore around 9:40 p.m. the same day.

While they awaited the replacement in Perth, passengers were provided meal and beverage service. A representative from Singapore Airlines remarked, “We are offering comprehensive support to our affected passengers, including rebooking of connecting flights and arranging hotel accommodations in Singapore if required.”

The airline also expressed regret, stating: “Singapore Airlines sincerely apologizes for any inconvenience caused.”

ACARS Message

The ACARS (Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System) message detailed the following:

Flight Information:

• Flight: SQ246
• Aircraft Type: Airbus A359
• Registration: 9V-SHM
• ICAO: 76CD0D
• Route: Originally from Brisbane (YBN) to Singapore (SIN), diverted to Perth (PER)

Incident Details:

• Issue: Low-pressure indication in engine 1 leading to shutdown as per ECAM (Electronic Centralized Aircraft Monitor) protocols.
• Time: Initial message logged at 2025-07-07 17:53:13 UTC, with follow-up updates.
• Status: Aircraft initially evaluated diversion to YPDN (possibly a typographical error or alternate code), later confirmed for diversion to Perth.

Operational Response:

• Acknowledgment: The downlink message was received and confirmed by the ground control systems.
• Action: The aircraft is classified as AOG (Aircraft on Ground) in Perth, with plans for a relief flight and deployment of a fresh technical and cabin crew.
• ETA: The estimated time of arrival in Perth is currently logged at 20:55Z (Zulu time).

Similar Incident

Recently, a Singapore Airlines (SQ) Airbus A380 flight was forced to return to Sydney (SYD) shortly after its departure on April 7, 2024, due to a technical issue.

Flight SQ232 was bound for Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) and safely landed back in Sydney just after it had taken off at 11:00 a.m.

Confirming the event, Singapore Airlines disclosed that its Airbus A380-841, registered 9V-SKM, faced a technical complication mid-flight, necessitating the crew to turn back. The return was successful, with the aircraft touching down at 12:42 p.m. local time, approximately 100 minutes post-departure.

The airline affirmed that the safety of passengers and crew was the utmost priority during this incident. Ground technicians promptly addressed the issue, allowing the flight to resume at 4:19 p.m., arriving in Singapore at 10:24 p.m. the same day.

The involved Airbus A380-841 operates with Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines and has been continually in service for nearly 14 years, highlighting the age of some A380s currently in operation.

Flight SQ232 services the typical long-haul route between Sydney (SYD) and Singapore (SIN), generally taking around 8 hours.

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