On Sunday, a passenger jet performed a miraculous landing despite the destruction caused by hailstones, which severely damaged the front of the plane and shattered the cockpit windscreen. The Austrian Airlines Airbus A320 was en route from Mallorca to Vienna when it encountered chunks of ice striking the aircraft and its front windows. The pilot had to execute a blind landing, leaving passengers to realize the gravity of the situation and their fortunate escape only upon touchdown.
After departing from Palma, Mallorca, around 3:30 pm on Sunday, passengers described the initial phase of the flight as smooth, with only minor turbulence. However, as the aircraft neared Vienna, approximately half an hour before scheduled landing, it encountered a “thunderstorm cell,” as reported by the airline.
As reported by the airline, the aircraft traversed a “thunderstorm cell” as it neared Vienna, approximately thirty minutes before its scheduled landing.
Passengers reported experiencing “violent shaking” and were alerted by the pilot to a broken windshield. Despite this, the aircraft successfully landed in Vienna. One passenger described the landing as “a bit bumpier than normal,” as told to Austria’s Kronen Zeitung newspaper. It wasn’t until passengers disembarked and approached the front of the plane that they comprehended the full extent of the damage. Images of the aircraft revealed a shattered windscreen and significant damage to the nose, marked with round indentations and dents.
“At that moment, the passengers realized the pilot had landed blindly and understood the peril they narrowly avoided,” one passenger recounted to Kronen. Another passenger, returning from Mallorca after celebrating a friend’s 30th birthday, reflected, “It could have been a different outcome.”
Austrian Airlines confirmed the incident to the newspaper, stating, “On today’s flight OS434 from Palma de Mallorca to Vienna, an Airbus A320 aircraft was damaged by hail.” The airline explained that the aircraft encountered a “thunderstorm cell” during its approach to Vienna, noting that the cockpit crew had not detected the cell on the weather radar. Kronen reported, citing the airline’s statement, “According to current information, the two front cockpit windows of the aircraft, the nose of the aircraft (radome), and some panels were damaged by the hail.”
Passengers experienced a “violent shaking” and were alerted by the pilot about the broken windshield. However, it wasn’t until they disembarked and inspected the front of the aircraft that they realized the full extent of the damage. Austrian Airlines confirmed that a Mayday call was made, prompting emergency crews to rush to the airport before the aircraft’s landing. Despite the damage to the windscreen, the pilot skillfully brought the plane down, and everyone onboard escaped unharmed.
“The aircraft was able to land safely at Vienna-Schwechat Airport. All passengers on the flight were unharmed,” the airline assured the newspaper. “The Austrian Airlines technical team has already begun assessing the specific damage to the aircraft. The safety of our passengers and crew is our top priority.”
This near-miss incident adds to a series of mid-air events making headlines in recent weeks. Last month, a Singapore Airlines jetliner encountered severe turbulence, resulting in the death of 73-year-old Brit Geoffrey Kitchen and leaving several others seriously injured. Flight SQ321 experienced significant gravitational force swings in less than five seconds, likely causing injuries to passengers who weren’t properly secured in their seats, according to a report released by Singapore’s Transport Ministry.
The recent near-miss adds to a string of mid-air incidents making headlines in recent weeks. Last month, a Singapore Airlines jetliner (shown in a photo) encountered severe turbulence, resulting in the death of 73-year-old Brit Geoffrey Kitchen and leaving several others seriously injured.
According to the Transport Ministry, the plane plummeted 178 feet in less than a second, likely causing unbelted occupants to become airborne before landing back down. The Boeing 777, traveling from London to Singapore on May 21, encountered turbulence that tossed passengers and items around the cabin. With 211 passengers and 18 crew members onboard, the aircraft made an emergency landing in Bangkok.
While cruising at approximately 37,000 feet over southern Myanmar, the aircraft began experiencing slight vibrations due to gravitational force changes. The jet’s altitude then increased, possibly due to an updraft rather than pilot action, prompting the autopilot system to adjust the plane back down to the selected altitude, the report explained. Additionally, the pilots noticed an uncommanded increase in airspeed, which they attempted to regulate by extending speed brake panels. Furthermore, a pilot alerted the passengers by announcing the activation of the fasten seat belt sign.
Distressing photographs captured the aftermath of the incident inside the cabin, revealing a scene strewn with debris while oxygen masks dangled from the ceiling. Passengers made frantic efforts to staunch the flow of blood from severe cuts and blunt force injuries.
A few moments later, the aircraft experienced a sudden and sharp drop, causing unsecured passengers to be thrown from their seats before returning. “This sequence of events likely led to injuries among the crew and passengers,” stated the report.
The pilots intervened by disengaging the autopilot to stabilize the aircraft manually for 21 seconds before reverting to autopilot mode. According to the ministry, the plane underwent a normal, controlled descent and encountered no further turbulence until its landing in Bangkok almost an hour later. Investigations into the incident are ongoing.
Passengers have recounted feelings of “sheer terror” as the aircraft shook, loose items were hurled about, and injured individuals lay immobilized on the cabin floor.
