Niki A320 near Vienna on Jun 11th 2013, skin panel departed aircraft

Last Update: June 13, 2013 / 17:06:40 GMT/Zulu time

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Incident Facts

Date of incident
Jun 11, 2013

Classification
Incident

Airline
Niki

Flight number
AB-8812

Destination
Vienna, Austria

Aircraft Registration
OE-LEX

Aircraft Type
Airbus A320

ICAO Type Designator
A320

A Niki Airbus A320-200 on behalf of Air Berlin, registration OE-LEX performing flight AB-8812 from Dusseldorf (Germany) to Vienna (Austria), had been enroute at FL350 and had just reached the top of descent starting the descent towards Vienna when passengers heard a loud bang from the left hand side near the overwing emergency exits followed by loud wind rush sounds and sounds of something hitting the outer skin of the aircraft repeatedly. The aircraft continued the descent, the volume of the noises reduced as the aircraft slowed. The aircraft continued for a safe landing on Vienna's runway 29 about 25 minutes later.

A passenger reported there was a loud bang from near the two left hand overwing emergency exits followed by strong wind rush sounds and sounds of something hitting the fuselage skin, that reduced when the aircraft slowed. The passenger attempted to have a look onto the aircraft while disembarking and believed to have seen a skin panel missing just below the two overwing emergency exits, where the wing connects to the fuselage.

Air Berlin confirmed part of the skin below one of the emergency exits at the left hand side detached during the descent towards Vienna. The aircraft continued for a safe landing. The occurrence has been reported to Austria's Austro Control, there was no danger to the occupants of the aircraft.

The incident aircraft is still on the ground about 45 hours after landing.
Incident Facts

Date of incident
Jun 11, 2013

Classification
Incident

Airline
Niki

Flight number
AB-8812

Destination
Vienna, Austria

Aircraft Registration
OE-LEX

Aircraft Type
Airbus A320

ICAO Type Designator
A320

This article is published under license from Avherald.com. © of text by Avherald.com.
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