A dramatic incident shook air traffic at Barcelona-El Prat Airport on Saturday. An Airbus aircraft, which had just taken off for the USA, had to turn back and make an emergency landing due to severe hailstorms. The nose of the aircraft was massively damaged – an incident that clearly demonstrates the intensity of the bad weather in Catalonia.
Details of the Incident: Hail Strikes A330 Aircraft En Route to USA
Shortly after takeoff, the crew of the Airbus A330 reported to air traffic controllers that the aircraft had been hit by severe hail and that damage might have occurred. The decision was made to immediately return to Barcelona Airport to ensure the safety of passengers and crew.
Así ha quedado el radomo del A330 que ha sufrido impacto de granizo tras despegar del aeropuerto de Barcelona.
— 😉Controladores Aéreos 🇪🇸 (@controladores) July 12, 2025
Han aterrizado de nuevo en el aeropuerto sin más incidencias. #SafetyFirst
Gracias a @locaeropuerto por la imagen. pic.twitter.com/Bgdo2RIDbI
Safe Emergency Landing and Startling Discovery on the Ground
The landing of the damaged aircraft went smoothly and without further incident. Only on the ground did the full extent of the hail damage become visible: the nose cone of the A330 was completely crushed. This area houses the radome, a crucial protective cover for the meteorological radar and other important electronic components of the aircraft. The fact that this structure was so deformed underlines the force of the hail impact.
Impact of Bad Weather on Flight Operations in Barcelona
The strong storms on Saturday had already had a significant impact on flight operations in Barcelona even before this incident. The airport was forced to adjust the configuration of its runways several times, leading to noticeable delays in both arriving and departing flights. This latest incident involving the Airbus is another example of the challenges extreme weather events pose for aviation.
Hail in Catalonia: A Challenge for Infrastructure
The hail damage to the aircraft is a clear indication of the extraordinary weather situation Catalonia experienced on Saturday. Such events not only pose challenges for air traffic but can also have far-reaching effects on other infrastructures and agriculture. Precise weather data from the radome is crucial for flight safety, and a damaged radome can impair an aircraft’s navigation capabilities.
