France's BEA has launched an investigation into an incident involving an Emirates A380 and possibly a drone at Nice Cote d’Azur Airport.
DALLAS — France's Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA) has launched an investigation into an incident involving an Emirates (EK) Airbus A380 at Nice Cote d’Azur Airport (NCE).
The incident occurred during the approach to the airport, as the flight crew heard an abnormal noise and felt slight vibrations after switching to CONF 1. Despite the issue, the crew continued the approach and landed safely.
Upon inspection, it was discovered that the upper part of slat number 2 on the right wing was severely damaged. The aircraft, registered as A6-EOM, arrived at NCE on August 18, 2023, from Dubai International Airport (DXB). Its return flight to Dubai was subsequently canceled due to "technical reasons."
An EK spokesperson stated that engineers found damage to a slat in the right wing and that the aircraft would remain on the ground for further assessment. Safety is the airline's top priority, and it will not compromise on it.
The Airbus A380 eventually left NCE and arrived back at DXB on August 22, 2023. The aircraft, with the registration A6-EOM, remains on the ground at DXB as of now.
Preliminary reports suggested that the aircraft may have impacted a drone during the approach. However, the BEA has not provided specific details about the nature of the damage to the slat. The French investigators classified the damage as "substantial," but fortunately, there were no injuries reported among the passengers and crew.
The penalties for drone operators who cause a collision with an aircraft can vary depending on the jurisdiction and the severity of the incident. Here are some potential penalties:
Featured image: A6-EVH, EMIRATES AIRBUS A380-800, KLAX LAX. Photo: Yifei Yu/Airways. Article source: aerotime.aero
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