AUA hail flight: Public prosecutor seizes black boxes
On June 9, 2024, an aircraft belonging to the Austrian airline Austrian Airlines (AUA) encountered severe turbulence caused by a sudden thunderstorm en route from Palma de Mallorca to Vienna. The Airbus A320, registered OE-LBM, operating the flight landed safely at Vienna-Schwechat Airport despite severe damage. Fortunately, no one was injured. However, the damage to the aircraft and the circumstances surrounding the incident raise increasing questions, which are currently being examined in a comprehensive investigation. The investigation is focusing on the pilots on the flight, possible deficiencies in training, and, in particular, the data from the aircraft's so-called black boxes. The incident: A flight into a severe weather cell The incident occurred when the Airbus A320 encountered a thunderstorm cell. The aircraft was on the final leg of its return flight from Mallorca and was only a few minutes away from Vienna. While the aircraft was subjected to severe turbulence and hail, an emergency call with the word "Mayday" was sent. Despite the difficult conditions, the aircraft landed safely at Vienna Airport, but the damage to the aircraft was extensive. The nose of the aircraft was largely destroyed, the cockpit windows were cracked, and both the wings and tail assembly suffered severe damage. A shocking incident that caused a stir in both the media and the aviation industry. Safety authorities and experts quickly determined that the severe weather was known and documented by the Austrian air traffic control agency Austro Control. This raised the question,
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