Austrian A320 at Vienna on Jun 9th 2024, hail strike

Last Update: December 12, 2024 / 16:40:47 GMT/Zulu time

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Photo of Austrian Airlines OE-LBM, Airbus A320 — Austrian Airlines OE-LBM, Airbus A320 (Photo credit: sloppyperfectionist / Flickr / License: CC by-sa)

Incident Facts

Date of incident
Jun 9, 2024

Classification
Incident

Airline
Austrian Airlines

Flight number
OS-434

Departure
Palma Mallorca, Spain

Destination
Vienna, Austria

Aircraft Registration
OE-LBM

Aircraft Type
Airbus A320

ICAO Type Designator
A320

An Austrian Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration OE-LBM performing flight OS-434 from Palma Mallorca,SP (Spain) to Vienna (Austria) with 173 passengers and 6 crew, was descending through about FL200 about 60nm southsouthwest of Vienna when the aircraft encountered hail. The crew continued for a safe landing on Vienna's runway 11 about 20 minutes later.

Austria's Unwetterzentrale (UWZ) reported the aircraft had a "date" with a thunderstorm cell over Hartberg, Styria, in about 6000 meters of altitude. After a "blind flight" the aircraft landed safely.

The airline reported the aircraft entered a thunderstorm cell that was not visible on the weather radar. Both windshields, the nose/radome as well as several panels were damaged. The crew declared Mayday and continued for a safe landing. All on board remained uninjured.

On Jun 15th 2024 Austria's Sicherheitsuntersuchungsstelle (SUB) opened an investigation into the occurrence.

Austrocontrol (ATC Provider and Regulator, acting as Civil Aviation Authority) reported the thunderstorm cell was known and aircraft had been informed about.

The airline reported the crew had been suspended for 7 days. The thunderstorm was not visible on the weather radar, however, Austrocontrol had warned about thunderstorm activity with hail in the area.

On Dec 12th 2024 Austrian SUB released their Preliminary Report in German only reporting that during the descent the captain (59, ATPL, 8433 hours total, 1626 hours on type) left the cockpit for a toilet break, both pilots checked the primary and navigation displays which both were inconspicuous. During further descent through 22700 feet MSL the aircraft entered a thunderstorm cell with moderate turbulence (about 1.75G), the weather radar still did not show any adverse weather, severe hail occurred. The standby airspeed suddenly dropped from 339 to 317 knots while the other two remained at 340 knots resulting in a fault indicated for ADR #3. About 30 seconds later the right hand airspeed dropped from 312 to 221 knots resulting in a master warning, autopilots 1 and 2 and autothrust automatically deactivated, the flight controls changed to alternate law. At FL190 the first officer (31, CPL, 3119 hours total, 3119 hours on type) levelled the aircraft off. Shortly afterwards the cockpit door was opened just in the moment when the returning captain wanted to open the door via emergency code. The captain assumed control of the aircraft, the crew declared Mayday, the crew donned their oxygen masks. The crew worked the checklist for unreliable airspeed but did not work the checklist for cracked windshield. The captain had view through the cracked windshield at some small areas and established visual contact to the runway during the ILS approach. When the gear was lowered the flight controls changed into direct law, an overspeed warning occurred (consistent with the false speed indications). During final approach tower informed the crew that their nose section was severly damaged and instructed the crew to stop after vacating the runway. After landing the aircraft was towed to the apron.

The SUB reported that the air traffic control systems did not have the feature of showing bad weather on their screens. AIP Austria consequently tells pilots, that ATC will not provide advisories about bad weather or how to fly around those areas.

The SUB rated the occurrence an incident.