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| Title: | Turbulence and hail damage in-flight, Airbus A321-231, G-MIDJ |
| Micro summary: | This Airbus A321 experienced turbulence and significant hail damage in flight. |
| Event Time: | 2003-05-26 at 1543 UTC |
| File Name: | 2003-05-26-UK.pdf |
| Publishing Agency: | Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (AAIB) |
| Publishing Country: | United Kingdom |
| Report number: | EW/C2003/05/03 |
| Pages: | 21 |
| Site of event: | Cruise, FL340, 70 nm SE of Vienna |
| Departure: | Manchester International Airport, Manchester, England |
| Destination: | Larnaca International Airport, Larnaca, Cyprus |
| Airplane Type(s): | Airbus A321-231 |
| Flight Phase: | Cruise |
| Registration(s): | G-MIDJ |
| Operator(s): | BMI British Midland Airways |
| Type of flight: | Revenue |
| Occupants: | 221 |
| Fatalities: | 0 |
| Serious Injuries: | 0 |
| Minor/Non-Injured: | 221 |
| Other Injuries: | 0 |
| Executive Summary: | The aircraft was in the cruise at FL340 approximately 70 nm south-east of Vienna when it encountered an area of severe turbulence and hail. Some of the flight deck windows became crazed and other areas of the airframe suffered extensive damage although this was not apparent to the crew. The aircraft made a precautionary descent to FL230, in accordance with the required abnormal procedures, and continued the flight to its destination of Manchester. The crew had no indication or warning that the aircraft was about to enter an area of severe turbulence, associated with the upper levels of a Cumulo-nimbus cloud. When they had been using the weather radar to check the route ahead of the aircraft, sometime before the encounter, the radar returns appeared benign. |
| Learning Keywords: | Operations - Turbulence |
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