A serious accident was narrowly avoided on Sunday night (21st of September) at Nice Côte d’Azur Airport when a Nouvelair Airbus A320 (TS-INP) aborted its landing just moments before a possible collision with an easyJet aircraft on the runway.
According to initial reports, flight BJ586 from Tunis was on final approach around 11:30 p.m. when it aligned with the wrong runway. At the same time, an easyJet Airbus A320 (OE-IJZ) had already begun its takeoff roll. The Nouvelair crew executed a go-around at low altitude, preventing disaster.
The Tunisian airline later said the attempt to land took place under “particularly difficult weather conditions,” citing heavy rain and poor visibility. Aviation experts noted that the airport’s parallel runways and lighting may also have contributed to the confusion.
French broadcaster France 3 reported that several passengers were left “in shock” following the near miss. Witnesses on board the easyJet aircraft said the pilot braked hard during the takeoff roll, sending “a shockwave through the cabin.” The Nouvelair pilots simultaneously applied full thrust to abort the landing and regain altitude. According to one passenger, the easyJet captain later emerged from the cockpit visibly shaken, admitting he felt “no longer capable of flying” after the incident. The passengers were accommodated overnight in a hotel before continuing their journey to Nantes the following day.
No injuries were reported, but France’s civil aviation safety bureau (BEA) has opened an investigation, describing the event as a “serious incident.” The flight recorders from both aircraft have been seized, and investigators will interview crews and air traffic controllers to determine the exact sequence of events.
?? Incident grave survenu le 21/09/25 à l’aéroport de #Nice entre l’@airbus #A320 @NouvelairTN immatriculé TS-INP et l’@Airbus #A320 @easyJet immatriculé OE-IJZ / Ouverture d’une enquête de sécurité / Une équipe de quatre enquêteurs se rend sur site.
— BEA ?? ????? (@BEA_Aero) September 22, 2025