ALGERIA- Flag carrier Air Algérie Boeing 737-800 Aircraft Grounded at Tlemcen Airport (TLM) Due to Significant Right Wing Winglet Damage After Allegedly Colliding with a Light Mast Following Arrival from Paris (CDG).
The incident has prompted discussions about the challenges that pilots may face during aircraft taxiing at airports.
Although such accidents are relatively rare, there have been at least two instances in the past year where aircraft made contact with lighting poles at different airports.
Air Algérie 737 Wingtip Damage
As reported by Air Plus News, the aircraft with registration 7T-VKJ suffered substantial damage to its right winglet after completing flight AH1087 from Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport (CDG) on Thursday.
Images depict the winglet almost completely torn off, with fragments of metal hanging from the wing. The damage resulted from a collision with a light mast after the aircraft landed at Tlemcen Airport (TLM).
As per ch-aviation, the aircraft with the registration 7T-VKJ is a 12-year-old Boeing 737-800 with a passenger capacity of 132. This particular aircraft has accumulated approximately 23,000 flight hours and just over 14,000 flight cycles.
Air Algérie maintains a fleet comprising Airbus, Boeing, and ATR regional aircraft, including more than 20 Boeing 737-800 units. The airline also has plans to incorporate the Boeing 737 MAX 9 into its fleet in the future to enhance its passenger services.
User Comments
Several Facebook users expressed their opinions regarding the incident in the comments section of Air Plus News’ post, highlighting the complexities that pilots encounter while maneuvering on the ground.
One user noted, “Navigating on airport taxiways is getting increasingly intricate due to the increasing number of lanes designated for both aircraft and vehicles operated by various parties on the apron.”
Another commenter emphasized the significance of no reported injuries in the incident.
Similar Wingtip damage Occurrences
In a separate occurrence just last month, a Southwest (WN) Airlines Boeing 737-800 underwent maintenance after encountering damage to its left wing when it struck a light pole at Jacksonville International Airport.
The flight, numbered WN5122, was en route from Houston Hobby Airport with over 170 passengers and six crew members on board. Thankfully, no injuries were reported.
Flight data indicates that the airplane was back in service by the end of the previous month. It’s worth noting that the incident involving Air Algérie appears to be more severe, given the winglet damage, unlike the Southwest aircraft, where the winglet remained intact.
In the previous year, a Qatar Airways Cargo Boeing 777F encountered an incident at Chicago O’Hare International Airport where a light pole made contact with the aircraft.
The cargo plane, which had just arrived from Atlanta and was en route to Maastricht, had to be grounded for investigation due to the occurrence. However, after the investigation, the aircraft has been restored to service.
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