An aircraft which crash-landed at Belfast City Airport after taking off from Edinburgh just before Christmas is to undergo further examination work as investigators probe the incident.
An ATR 72 plane, operated by Emerald Airlines for Aer Lingus, suffered an emergency incident at around 4pm on Sunday, December 22, as it attempted to land in high winds.
It appeared the aircraft’s nose wheel collapsed as it landed, and the plane remained on the runway while emergency crews dealt with the crash. Four crew and no passengers were on board at the time, and there were no reported injuries.
The incident led to the cancellation or diversion off all flights in and out of Belfast City Airport for the remainder of the day, throwing many Christmas holiday plans into chaos. The runway reopened the following day, Belfast Live reports.
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The aircraft involved currently remains in the grounds of City Airport and it is unclear when it will be able to resume service.
In a statement to Belfast Live, a spokeswoman 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.”
It is understood that investigations of this nature by the AAIB could take between nine to 12 months to complete.
The spokeswoman added: “Our investigation into the accident on December 22 is still ongoing and it is too early to provide an update.”
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Belfast Live asked Aer Lingus if it was in a position to say when the aircraft would be fit to resume service. However, a spokesperson for Emerald Airlines, exclusive operator of Aer Lingus Regional services, would only say that “ongoing reviews” are taking place.
She said: “An Emerald Airlines positioning flight, EA701P, with no passengers on board, flying from Edinburgh to Belfast City Airport, 22nd December 2024, experienced a hard landing upon arriving into Belfast City Airport due to adverse weather conditions. Due to ongoing reviews, we will not be providing further comment at this time.”