Surinam Airways A340-600 returns to Amsterdam after landing gear door malfunction

A Surinam Airways flight from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol to Paramaribo was forced to return shortly after departure on May 8, 2026, following a technical issue involving the aircraft’s landing gear system.

Flight PY993, operated on behalf of Surinam Airways by Universal Sky Carrier, had departed Amsterdam using a former Lufthansa Airbus A340-600 when the crew detected that the landing gear hatches had failed to close correctly after take-off.

According to operational information, the malfunction created significant aerodynamic drag, leading to unusually high fuel consumption. Because the aircraft could not continue the long-haul transatlantic sector efficiently and within operational margins, the crew elected to discontinue the flight and return to Schiphol as a precaution.

The aircraft landed safely back in Amsterdam without further incident.

Due to mandatory crew rest requirements and the need for technical inspections, the flight was rescheduled to depart on Sunday, May 10.

The incident comes as Surinam Airways continues operating the A340-600 on the Amsterdam–Paramaribo route through 2026 under a wet-lease arrangement with Universal Sky Carrier, following previous operational and fleet-related challenges affecting the carrier’s regional and long-haul operations.