Stunning images illustrate the severe damage a plane sustained after being struck by a violent hailstorm, which led the pilot to turn back mid-flight.
The Airbus A320 took off from Katowice-Pizowice Airport in Poland on April 21st, headed to an undisclosed destination when it ran into a significant thunderstorm.
According to reports, the pilot attempted to navigate around the severe weather but ended up flying right into a barrage of hail, resulting in considerable damage. The airline hasn’t been publicly named yet.
The impact was particularly harsh on the nose of the aircraft, which suffered a rupture.
With limited options, the pilot managed to reverse course and landed safely back at the airport.
However, the plane did not emerge from the storm unharmed. Video captured by Polish aviation firm LS Technics reveals extensive damage, including numerous pockmarks on the fuselage and a notable hole in the nose cone.
The airplane’s paint had peeled away in several areas, revealing the underlying structure beneath.
A representative from LS Technics remarked that hail poses “one of the most serious threats” to aircraft integrity.
The frozen hailstones also battered the leading edges of the wings and horizontal stabilizer, and there was damage to the weather radar antenna and glide path system, critical for navigation and landing.
The aircraft is currently placed in Katowice and will likely require thorough repairs before it can take to the skies again.
Thankfully, there were no reported injuries among the passengers or crew.
As of now, neither Poland’s aviation authorities nor the unidentified airline have released a statement about this alarming incident.
LS Technics officials added that hail can wreak catastrophic structural damage in mere seconds and is considered one of the most severe dangers aircraft can face.
Even a short encounter with large hail can ground modern jets.
Fortunately, such intense hailstorms are generally uncommon and usually occur when an airplane enters the core of a developing thunderstorm, similar to what happened with this flight.
This incident isn’t isolated; another case in 2024 involved an Austrian Airlines flight across Europe, which faced a sudden and powerful hailstorm that tore away part of the plane’s nose and cracked cockpit windows.
One passenger described the experience, saying it lasted about two minutes, during which phones and cups were tossed around, prompting some passengers to scream.
