French officials launched an investigation following a turbulent Air France flight, with the pilot reportedly saying, "The plane is a little out of control." This incident, dubbed a "serious incident" by French authorities, occurred on Tuesday, April 5. According to the BEA (Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyse pour la Sécurité de l'Aviation Civile), the issue centered around instability in the flight control, including difficulties during landings, roll maneuvers, and hard control situations.
Initial details about the cause of the incident and why it was deemed "serious" were not provided by BEA, although they mentioned analyzing black-box data and radio communication recordings. CNN obtained a recording of the radio communication between the pilot and air traffic control, in which the pilot mentioned a control problem and stated, "The plane is a little out of control."
Air France acknowledged the incident and expressed understanding for passengers' discomfort. They confirmed the crew initiated a go-around after experiencing complications during the landing sequence, which is a standard procedure in aviation. The crew successfully landed the aircraft after the second go-around attempt.
Context: Go-arounds are a common procedure used by pilots to re initiate a landing, initiated when certain safety concerns arise during an approach to land. The flight crew must promptly assess the situation and exercise appropriate actions to ensure the airplane's safe landing.
Air France addressed the commonality of go-around procedures and the extensive training given to cabin crew members and pilots. All airlines implement these procedures to maintain safety standards onboard flights.
While enroute from JFK in New York to Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, the Boeing 777 aircraft experienced two abrupt changes in altitude. A passenger mentioned hearing a loud impact as the plane rocked back and forth, with others claiming to feel a strong force connect with their seats.
Boeing acknowledges the incident and has stated they will cooperate with the agencies involved in the investigation. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will also likely play a role in assessing the situation since the aircraft was manufactured in the US. However, no immediate information was provided about their involvement.
Similar incidents: In the past, instances involving go-around procedures have highlighted the sheer complexity and daily dilemmas pilots face in ensuring the safety of flights. These events underscore the importance of the ongoing training and communication between pilots and ground control personnel, which is critical to ensuring a safe takeoff, descent, and landing.
