Airbus A330 incident near Seoul, Korea, Kr, May 26, 2011
On May 26, 2011 at about 1:40 pm local time, a Airbus A330, registered HL7553, was involved in an incident near Seoul, Korea. It was flown under foreign airline rules (Part 129). The NTSB record does not give the injuries.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this incident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 26, 2011 · about 1:40 pm local time
- Place
- Seoul, Korea, South Korea
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- The NTSB record does not give the injuries.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Airbus A330 323 · all A330s on the register
- Registration
- HL7553 · no longer on the register · serial 267
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · foreign airline rules (Part 129)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On May 26, 2011 the crew of a Korean Air A330-300, registration number HL7553, while climbing through 11,500 feet altitude, reported that they heard a loud bang from the number 2 engine followed by a high vibration increase. Approximately 2 minutes later, the engine exhaust gas temperature of the Pratt & Whitney PW4168A increased to above 705 degrees and a 'stall' and fire warning were noted. The pilot shut off the engine and discharged one fire bottle. An air turnback was performed and the airplane landed safely. A post flight inspection of the number 2 engine revealed a puncture in the Low Pressure Turbine Case measuring about 60 centimeters x 10 centimeters at the 11 o'clock location and two small holes. Additionally, metal parts were found in the exhaust and cowling area. There was no damage to the airplane. The accident is being investigated by the government of Korea. Further information pertaining to this event may be obtained from: Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board Ministry of Construction and Transportation 281, Gonghang-Dong Gangseo-gu, Seoul Republic of Korea 157-815 Tel.:(82) 2 6096-1017 (82) 2 6096-1030 (24 hours) E-mail: byeonsc@moct.go.kr Fax: (82) 2 6096-1031 AFTN: RKSLYLYX Website: http://www.araib.go.kr
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Operator: Korean Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: RKSI Inchon
- Destination: LKPR Prague
- Flight plan: not recorded
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.