Emergency services rushed to Belfast City Airport after the nose gear of an Aer Lingus jet suddenly collapsed while the plane attempted to land in aggressive 50mph winds
A plane that crash-landed at a major airport after aggressive winds damaged its landing gear is being investigated further.
Emergency services rushed to Belfast City Airport on Sunday, December 22, after the nose gear of an Aer Lingus jet suddenly collapsed when the plane attempted to land in 50mph winds. After touching down at around 4pm, all flights in and out of Belfast City Airport were cancelled or diverted for the rest of the day, sparking travel chaos just days before Christmas.
Almost a month later, the plane, operated by Emerald Airlines, is still parked at the flight hub in Northern Ireland – with no information on when it is expected to re-enter service, Belfast Live reports. A spokesperson for the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said: “The aircraft has not been moved because it is due to undergo further examination work as part of the ongoing investigation.”
Investigations of this nature can take up to nine months to a year to complete, with AAIB saying it is too soon to provide an update.
A spokesperson for Emerald Airlines said the jet was travelling from Edinburgh to Belfast City Airport when it experienced a hard landing due to adverse weather conditions. “Due to ongoing reviews, we will not be providing further comment at this time”, they said.
On the night of the crash, an airport spokesperson said: “At around 4pm today, Sunday 22 December, an Aer Lingus regional flight, operated by Emerald Airlines, had an incident on landing at Belfast City Airport. All flights to and from the airport have now been cancelled for the rest of the night.
“This was a positioning fight with no passengers but four crew members onboard. The airport’s emergency procedures were enacted. The runway is currently closed and will be for the rest of the day. Passengers are asked to contact their airline.”
Belfast International Airport, which took on some diverted flights to ease the congestion over Christmas, said: “Following the incident at Belfast City Airport this afternoon we have taken four diverted flights. As we already had a heavier schedule than usual, we are now, with these additional flights, close to capacity so we are limited in how many more redirected flights we can take this evening, however we will continue to support where possible.
“Our website will carry the most up to date information for arrivals and departures and if anyone has any queries they should be directed to the airlines. Given the circumstances, our teams on the ground are working to help these additional flights as quickly as possible. We would ask for passengers’ patience as we support each additional flight.”
