Is this normal? · Landing
We were about to land, then the engines roared and we climbed
Short answer
That's a go-around: a normal, practised maneuver. The pilots decided conditions weren't just right for landing, so they climbed away to try again. It's a safety choice, not an emergency.
Where this comes from
The sudden engine roar near the ground is a normal, practiced maneuver — a safety choice, not an emergency.
Based on: FAA Airplane Flying Handbook, Chapter on Approaches and Landings — go-arounds (rejected landings); Flight Safety Foundation, "Failure to Mitigate" (go-around decision-making); Flight Safety Foundation, Go-Around Decision-Making and Execution Project (2017, PDF).
More from landing
Other moments people ask about
- The engines got quieter soon after takeoff · Climb
- A thunk and rumble just after liftoff · Climb
- A whirring or grinding noise from the wings · Climb & descent
- A barking or buzzing sound while taxiing · On the ground
- The cabin lights flickered or went quiet at the gate · On the ground
- Bumps and shaking in turbulence · Cruise