A KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KL) Boeing 737-800, registered PH-BXY, was forced to divert to Billund Airport (BLL) in Denmark on Friday, June 13, 2026, after its right engine failed mid-flight on a scheduled service from Bergen Airport (BGO), Norway, to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS), the Netherlands. According to aviation24.be, the aircraft was operating as flight KL1164 when two loud explosions were heard on board, followed by visible smoke entering the cabin and a low oil pressure warning received by the flight crew, who subsequently shut down the right engine. The aircraft completed the diversion on a single engine, landing safely at Billund with no injuries reported among those on board.
The incident took place on a route of approximately 890 kilometres, scheduled to last roughly 83 minutes. Passengers described a distressing experience, with some reporting black smoke coming from the engine and heightened anxiety in the cabin. The diversion to Billund was determined by the flight crew as the nearest suitable airport. KLM confirmed the engine shutdown to Norwegian news agency BA, and all passengers were offered psychological support upon arrival.
What Happened on Flight KL1164
The sequence of events began shortly after the flight entered cruise. The aircraft experienced two loud explosions, followed by the smell of burnt electronics and visible smoke entering the cabin. In the cockpit, the crew received a low oil pressure warning on the right engine. In accordance with standard procedures, the captain elected to shut down the affected engine and proceed on the remaining left engine.
Passenger Arild von Feste, who was on board with his wife Charlotte, provided a first-hand account to Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet. He described the cabin crew as “stressed, but professional” while they worked to stabilise the aircraft. Von Feste stated that he understood the engine failure had caused substantial internal damage, and that passengers were given little information in the immediate minutes after the bangs were heard, leading some to contact their families.
After approximately one hour, the captain announced that the right engine had lost oil pressure, causing significant damage, and that the plane would land at the nearest available airport — Billund. The aircraft landed safely in Billund without further incident, and KLM provided passengers with refreshments in the staff canteen. Von Feste and his wife later accepted an alternative KLM flight to Amsterdam, scheduled to depart Billund at 19:00.
KLM’s Confirmation and Passenger Aftercare
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines confirmed the engine shutdown to Norwegian media. KLM press spokesperson Anoesjka Aspeslagh confirmed to newspaper BA that the captain made the decision to shut down the engine after detecting a drop in oil pressure. The airline did not immediately release a detailed technical explanation of the root cause of the failure.
On the ground at Billund Airport, KLM offered passengers professional psychological support. Not all passengers accepted the offer. All passengers landed safely, and the airline provided refreshments while onward arrangements were made. KLM arranged alternative routing for affected travellers to complete their journeys to Amsterdam.
No injuries were reported among those on board, and no emergency services intervention was required on the ground at Billund. The aircraft, PH-BXY, remained on the ground at Billund pending a technical inspection.
Boeing 737-800 PH-BXY and Its Engine Type
The aircraft involved in the incident is a Boeing 737-800, variant designation 737-8K2, registered PH-BXY. This is an aircraft type that Netherlands’ king has also flown. Flight tracker data shows PH-BXY was approximately 16 years old at the time of the incident. The Boeing 737-800 is a narrow-body, twin-engine jet used primarily on short- to medium-haul routes throughout KLM’s European network.
The 737-800 is powered by two CFM56-7 turbofan engines, which are produced by CFM International — a joint venture between GE Aerospace of the United States and Safran Aircraft Engines of France. The CFM56-7 is one of the most widely deployed powerplants in commercial aviation and is generally regarded as highly reliable. The engine is a dual-rotor, axial-flow turbofan, with the N1 rotor consisting of a fan, low-pressure compressor, and low-pressure turbine, and the N2 rotor consisting of a high-pressure compressor and high-pressure turbine.
KLM operates 31 Boeing 737-800s, with an average fleet age of 18.6 years. PH-BXY, at roughly 16 years old, sits below that average age but is nonetheless a maturing airframe by modern standards. The broad age profile of KLM’s 737 fleet is relevant context: the airline is in the process of transitioning its narrow-body operations to Airbus A320neo-family aircraft, but that transition is gradual and the 737-800s continue to carry the majority of KLM’s European short-haul flying.
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A Pattern of KLM Boeing 737 Incidents in Scandinavia
The June 13, 2026, diversion is the latest in a string of serious technical incidents involving KLM Boeing 737-800 aircraft, several of which have occurred on Scandinavian and Northern European routes.
- July 2025 — Stockholm to Amsterdam (Hamburg diversion): Flight KL1220, operated by Boeing 737-800 PH-HSD carrying 186 passengers, diverted to Hamburg Airport (HAM) after the crew received a left engine fire indication related to the CFM56 engine while cruising at 38,000 feet over Danish airspace. The crew shut down the engine and landed at Hamburg approximately 30 minutes later. KLM confirmed the smoke originated due to low oil levels in the engine. No injuries were reported.
- December 2024 — Oslo to Amsterdam (runway excursion at Oslo Torp): Flight KL1204, operated by a 24.1-year-old Boeing 737-800 registered PH-BXM, made an emergency landing at Oslo Torp Sandefjord Airport (TRF) after “a hard noise” was heard following departure from Oslo Airport Gardermoen (OSL). Upon landing, the aircraft veered off the runway onto the grass. Hydraulic failure was subsequently confirmed as the cause. The aircraft had logged 60,843 flight hours and 38,070 cycles by that point. No injuries were reported among the 182 occupants.
The pattern is notable in two respects. First, two of the three incidents — July 2025 and June 2026 — involved low oil levels or low oil pressure on the CFM56 engine leading to an engine shutdown. Second, all three incidents occurred on routes through Scandinavian airspace, where KLM’s 737-800s operate frequent short-haul turns.
How the Boeing 737 Handles a Single-Engine Event
A Boeing 737-800 is certified to fly and land on a single engine. Pilots train extensively for engine-out scenarios as part of their initial type rating and recurrent simulator training. When a low oil pressure warning triggers, standard procedure is to cross-check the indication, attempt to identify any confirming secondary symptoms — such as vibration, abnormal exhaust gas temperature, or N1/N2 decay — and, if the failure is confirmed, to action the engine shutdown checklist and declare an emergency or PAN-PAN to air traffic control.
The crew on KL1164 followed this procedure: they received a low oil pressure warning, confirmed the engine issue, shut the right engine down, and diverted to the nearest suitable airport. The successful outcome — a safe landing with no injuries — reflects both the soundness of that procedure and the training level of the crew.
The smell of burnt electronics and visible smoke in the cabin is consistent with an oil-related engine event on the CFM56. When oil leaks onto hot engine components, it can produce fumes that enter the aircraft’s air conditioning system through bleed air offtakes. This is a recognised phenomenon in turbofan operations, and crews are trained to manage it through passenger communication and ventilation procedures.
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KLM’s Fleet Transition and the 737-800’s Future at the Airline
The recurring technical incidents on KLM’s 737-800 fleet coincide with an ongoing fleet transition. KLM is progressively replacing its Boeing 737 Next Generation aircraft with Airbus A320neo-family jets, though the replacement programme is proceeding gradually. As of May 2026, KLM’s narrow-body fleet still consists primarily of Boeing 737 NG aircraft, meaning the 737-800 will continue to carry a significant portion of European traffic for several more years.
The Air France–KLM group, KLM’s parent company, announced in September 2023 an order for 50 Airbus A350 aircraft to replace ageing wide-body jets. The narrow-body replacement strategy is also underway but proceeds on a different timeline. Until the transition is complete, KLM will continue to operate 737-800s with an average fleet age above 18 years — airframes that require rigorous maintenance management to sustain airworthiness across tens of thousands of additional cycles.