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Ethiopian Airlines Airbus A350 Suffers Wing Tip Strike During Landing

By Andrew Curran.

An Ethiopian Airlines Airbus suffered extensive wing damage after a hard landing in Johannesburg earlier this month. The incident damaged a jet just one-year-old and is the latest in a series of incidents to dog the airline.

Images later posted online reveal damage to the jet’s right wingtip. ADS-B data indicates the Airbus was descending at 500 plus feet per minute when it touched down. The jet landed around 120 meters past the runway’s threshold but before the first touch down zone marker.

ET-AYB then veered 12 degrees to the right before climbing through 400 feet AGL around 1500 feet to the right of the runway centerline and overflying the hangars east of the runway. The Aviation Herald cites an unnamed local source saying the plane experienced a runway excursion.

Per local requirements, the Accident and Incident Investigations Department of South Africa’s Civil Aviation Authority was notified on the same day, and they initiated an investigation. A preliminary report is due within 30 days.

However, the aviation safety agency has already classified the incident as an accident, saying the Airbus encountered a strong crosswind while landing, causing the right wing tip to make contact with the runway.

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