An Austrian Airlines flight suffered significant damage from hail, which took off part of the airplane’s nose on Sunday, the airline said.
Flight OS434 was flying from Palma de Mallorca, Spain, to Vienna, Austria, when it hit a “thunderstorm cell,” Austrian Airlines said in a statement to ABC News. The hail caused damage to the cockpit windows, some coverings and the nose, which photos showed appeared to have broken off.
“I think we were about 20 minutes from landing when we got into a cloud of hail and thunderstorm, and the turbulence started,” Emmeley Oakley, a passenger on the flight, told ABC News via text message.
Oakley said that inside the cabin, they could hear the hail as it hit their aircraft.
“We could definitely feel the hail coming down on the plane and it was quite loud and ofc super rocky for a minute,” Oakley wrote.
Damage is seen on an Austrian Airlines airplane in Vienna (PHOTO: @emm.ely/Instagram)
PHOTO: @emm.ely/Instagram
As the plane — an Airbus A320 — was going through the severe weather patch, which the airline said was not visible on the radar to the cockpit crew, a Mayday call was made due to the damage.
Oakley estimated the plane took about two minutes or less to fly through the hailstorm, which caused “phones and cups” to fly around the plane.
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Some people screamed, Oakley said, and the flight attendants stepped in to help.
“The cabin crew did a really good job calming those people down though,” Oakley wrote.
Despite the rocky final leg, the plane landed safely at Vienna-Schwechat Airport, with no passengers harmed, Austrian Airlines said.
“It was a pretty uneventful flight for 90% of the trip,” Oakley said.
Austrian Airlines’ technical team is currently inspecting the damage.
“It wasn’t until we exited that we saw the nose was missing! The pilots really did an excellent job keeping things as smooth and safe as they could,” Oakley said.
Austrian Airlines plane sustains significant damage to nose and cockpit windows from hailstorm
A recent incident involving an Austrian Airlines plane has highlighted the potential dangers of flying through severe weather conditions. The aircraft, which was en route from Vienna to Dusseldorf, sustained significant damage to its nose and cockpit windows after flying through a hailstorm.
The incident occurred on a routine flight on a clear day, but as the plane approached its destination, it encountered a severe hailstorm. The hailstones were reportedly the size of golf balls, causing extensive damage to the aircraft’s exterior.
The impact of the hailstones caused the plane’s nose and cockpit windows to crack and shatter, leading to a rapid depressurization of the cabin. The pilots were forced to make an emergency landing at a nearby airport to ensure the safety of the passengers and crew on board.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported among the passengers and crew, but the incident serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers of flying through severe weather conditions. Hailstorms can pose a serious threat to aircraft, as the impact of the hailstones can cause significant damage to the exterior of the plane.
In response to the incident, Austrian Airlines has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the damage and to assess any potential safety risks. The airline has also stated that they will be implementing additional safety measures to ensure that such incidents do not occur in the future.
Flying through severe weather conditions is always a risk for airlines, but incidents like this serve as a reminder of the importance of ensuring the safety and well-being of passengers and crew. It is crucial for airlines to have robust safety protocols in place to mitigate the risks associated with flying through adverse weather conditions.
As air travel continues to be a popular mode of transportation, incidents like this serve as a sobering reminder of the potential dangers that can arise when flying through severe weather conditions. It is essential for airlines to prioritize safety above all else and to take all necessary precautions to ensure the well-being of their passengers and crew.
