KLM flight aborts landing 300 metres above ground as storm Dave batters southern Norway

A KLM flight was forced to abort its landing at Kristiansand Airport just 300 metres above the runway on Sunday as Storm Dave brought hurricane-force winds to southern Norway, local media report.

The aircraft, which had attempted to land at Kjevik Airport, instead diverted to Oslo after the failed approach, Norwegian newspaper Fædrelandsvennen first reported. Several flights to and from Kristiansand, Stavanger, and Haugesund were cancelled due to the extreme weather.

Passenger Robert Kristiansen described the aborted landing as the “worst experience” he had ever had on a flight. “We were almost down. I saw the runway, then the plane suddenly climbed steeply again,” he told Fædrelandsvennen.

“The aircraft was moving sideways and up and down. There were violent shakes,” Kristiansen said, adding that many passengers were frightened. “Some were crying, and there were younger people on board who were quite panicked. It was intense.”

After the failed landing attempt, the flight proceeded to Oslo Airport Gardermoen, where it landed at 18:25. Passengers were then transported by bus to Kristiansand, a journey of over three hours.

Meteorological data showed wind gusts reaching 25.1 metres per second at Kjevik at 18:00—officially classified as a full storm. Arne Johan Johnsen, director of Kristiansand Airport, confirmed the incident to Fædrelandsvennen.

“The aircraft attempted to land, but due to strong wind gusts, the pilot decided to fly to Oslo. That is the pilot’s decision, and we must respect it,” Johnsen said. Attempts by Dagbladet to reach KLM for comment were unsuccessful.

Storm Dave has caused widespread disruption across southern Norway, with road closures, cancelled ferries, and power outages affecting thousands. The Norwegian Meteorological Institute had issued red-level warnings for parts of Agder and Rogaland, advising residents to avoid unnecessary travel.