Horror as pilot loses control of plane in UK & crashes while trying to land in heavy winds leaving aircraft ‘damaged’
A PILOT lost control of a plane and crashed while trying to land in heavy winds at a major UK airport.
The Challenger 604 aircraft was left "severely damaged" after also suffering a runway excursion with the left wing tip hitting the grass.
The Challenger 604 jet can accommodate up to nine passengers in business-class seats or up to 19 in higher-density seating.
A report with full findings into the incident at Stansted Airport in Essex will be released later this year.
Strong crosswinds meant the plane floated above the runway for several seconds.
No passengers or staff were injured during the incident in January last year.
A spokesperson for the Air Accidents Investigations Branch (AAIB), who look into all incidents involving aircraft, said: "The stick pusher activated at some point causing the aircraft to bounce onto its nosewheel.
"A go-around was executed after which the crew elected to divert to London Gatwick Airport.
"There were no injuries, but the aircraft was severely damaged.
"The investigation is nearly complete and the final report into the accident is expected to be published later this year."
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It comes after pilots revealed they hate flying in thunderstorms the most as it can cause the most crashes.
Andrew Ward, who used to work as a meteorologist for the Met Office at Heathrow, explained why this is.
He told Sun Online Travel: “Thunderstorms are the most dangerous types of weather for planes to fly in, they can cause multiple hazards and can reach heights of 35,000 feet, which is cruising level for a plane - so they are very difficult to fly though.
“Although pilots are able to fly through them, they try to avoid it. They can be up to 12 miles wide or more – very large areas - and they can also cause severe turbulence, so whenever possible a pilot will reroute.”
Meanwhile, a terrifying video shows the moment a plane engine appears to catch fire over LA.
The Viva Aerobus pilot turned the plane around for an emergency landing after departing from Mexico to Los Angeles on Tuesday.