A recent incident at Vienna Airport in Austria has left a brand new Austrian Airlines Airbus A320neo severely damaged after it reportedly collided with stationary structures on the ground.
The aircraft, registered as OE-LZQ, had arrived at Vienna Airport last night (6 April) at 22:37 local time, following a flight from London Heathrow. While details surrounding the timing of the collision and any potential injuries remain unclear, it is evident that the aircraft sustained significant damage.
Photos circulating on social media platforms, particularly Instagram accounts such as aeromanu and oldflychicks, depict the extent of the damage. The images show the aircraft’s wing appearing to collide with a utility pole, and its right horizontal stabilizer completely torn off after impacting a jetway.
Austrian Airlines had taken delivery of this A320neo just last December, making the incident all the more alarming for the airline and aviation authorities.
As of now, this story is still developing, and details are expected to change as more information becomes available. Authorities and airline officials will likely conduct a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the collision and assess any necessary safety measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Update 08/04/2024
In summary, the newly delivered A320neo of AUA experienced a severe incident at Vienna Airport, resulting in substantial damage.
The aircraft collided with a passenger boarding bridge and a power mast, causing extensive damage to its structure. Speculated oversights by the ground crew, including the failure to place wheel chocks and activate the parking brake, combined with the aircraft being on a slight incline, led to the jet moving backward autonomously toward the terminal.
The impact resulted in the complete detachment of the right horizontal stabilizer, damage to the fuselage, potential damage to the left horizontal stabilizer, and significant damage to the right wing.
The total extent of the damage is yet to be officially confirmed, but experts from AUA Technik will assess the damages in the coming days or weeks. However, considering the severity of the damage, the possibility of the aircraft being declared a total loss cannot be ruled out.
