On 26 June, a HOP! Bombardier CRJ-1000 (F-HMLH) was operating domestic flight AF7464 from Perpignan to Paris Orly, France. While climbing to 26,000 feet, the pilots stopped the climb, made a rapid descent (descending between 3,000 and 5,000 feet per minute) and headed South again towards Toulouse Airport. Reason? During the climb, smoke was noted in the cockpit.
“As a precaution, the aircraft diverted to Toulouse,” an Air France spokesman said, “the aircraft safely landed at Toulouse airport. Four passengers needed treatment.”
The airline added that all passengers reached their final destination on the same day and reminded that the crew is regularly trained to manage emergency situations. “Flight safety is imperative at Air France,” the spokesman concluded.
