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Dramatic images show the heart-stopping moment a packed jet flew into the centre of a thunderstorm and was forced to make an emergency landing after being pummelled by hailstones.
The Delta Airlines Boeing 767 had just taken off from Milan’s Malpensa airport with more than 226 passengers and crew onboard and was bound for JFK in New York when it inexplicably headed towards the weather front.
MailOnline has learnt that an easyJet plane due to take off just before the American jet aborted its take-off and returned to stand because of the approaching weather front which caused havoc as it swept through last Monday.
Graphics provided by Swiss based Meteomatics show the storm front to the west of Malpensa and the dark colours show the intensity of the storm as it approached just before 1pm.
Aviation experts have expressed surprise that the pilot of the American plane decided to take off given the storm and the plane was later forced to make an emergency landing less than an hour after take-off at Rome’s Fiumicino airport.
Holes punched through the nose cone of the aircraft. The plane had just taken off from Milan’s Malpensa airport and was bound for JFK in New York when it in explicably headed towards the weather front
Holes were also visible under the wing of the aircraft. Aviation experts have expressed surprise that the pilot decided to take off given the storm and the plane was later forced to make an emergency landing
Pictures taken after the jet had landed safely show holes in the wings and severe damage to the cone at the front – known as the radome – where the weather radar is housed, with one pilot telling MailOnline it was probably caused by a lightning strike.
Brad Guay from Meteomatics told MailOnline: ‘When we heard of the incident, we went back to our weather data and created the graphics that you can see.
‘From them you can see the storm was clearly visible and therefore avoidable but for some reason and we don’t know why the pilot of the Delta plane decided to take off.
‘The storm is quite clearly developing to the west of Malpensa and the 767 heads straight towards it and as it approaches the storm intensifies.
‘The darker the colours the more intense the storm and the size of the hailstones we calculated to be around 4-5cm and they were impacting the plane at speeds of 150kph.’
Data from flight tracking apps shows the 767 climbing to around 24,000ft within ten minutes of take-off before descending sharply 4,000ft – possibly due to wind speeds, then levelling off an maintaining a height of 20,000ft before landing 70 minutes after take-off at Rome.
Brad added: ‘This storm and the subsequent damage could have been avoided but for some reason the plane still took off and you have to ask if that was an error by the pilot but that is something for the authorities to examine.
‘Maybe errors were made by the pilot and the air traffic control at Malpensa who will have also been aware of the weather and it’s interesting to note the easyJet plane ahead of the Delta aborted take-off.
‘The data clearly shows the 767 taking off and then heading into the worst possible part of the storm – did the pilot miss this? Was he not provided with appropriate information about the weather? These are all questions for the airline and the aviation authorities.
‘Thankfully the plane landed safely but I’m sure it must have been a very scary few minutes for the passengers onboard.’
Retired pilot Christopher Hammond, who flew for 43 years with British Airways and later easyJet, said: ‘I would also say looking at the picture of the nose that looks more like a lightning strike to me as the damage is quite severe, but the other little holes are quite clearly hail’
Retired pilot Christopher Hammond, who flew for 43 years with British Airways and later easyJet, told MailOnline: ‘You have a pair of eyes and when you are sitting in the cockpit you look out of the window at the weather.
‘I always said that if I didn’t like the look of the clouds in front of me then I wouldn’t take off and those clouds in that graphic look pretty evil and they are dark colours which show worsening conditions.
‘With that sort of storm it’s the wind you have to take account of as well, as it can push you thousands of feet and also end you down a similar height, so it can feel like being on a roller coaster.
‘I can’t comment on his actions specifically but if it had been me, I think I would have delayed take-off. I know I would have been grumbled at for sitting on the tarmac but better safe than sorry.
‘Why anyone would want to fly into and through that storm is beyond me as potentially it is very dangerous but that’s a question for the airline and I’m sure they will be asking the pilot that.
‘I should say that air traffic control at Malpensa would also have been aware of it and so they should have mentioned something and the fact the easyJet pilot decided to cancel take-off is very telling.
‘Some pilots are terrified by the weather and I think that’s a very good think as it makes you more aware and I would have avoided that storm like the plague and if it means sitting it out for an hour then so be it.
‘Hail and storms are unlikely to bring a plane down but they can cause considerable damage to an aircraft.
‘I would also say looking at the picture of the nose that looks more like a lightning strike to me as the damage is quite severe, but the other little holes are quite clearly hail. The pilot did well to get the plane down safely and the passengers would have bene grateful.
‘But I keep coming back to the fact that what I don’t understand is why anyone would want to take off with that sort of weather front in the vicinity. I just don’t understand – a sense of self-preservation should have kicked in.’
The plane was forced to make an emergency landing less than an hour after take-off at Rome’s Fiumicino airport (File Photo)
Steven Coury later told American TV: ‘We all hear a noise that we have never heard before. One passenger looked out the window and saw the wing shaking violently like it was going to break off.
‘I saw flashes of light, like lightening hitting the plane. The turbulence was like being on a roller coaster ride, dropping significantly.’
MailOnline has also discovered that the 26-year-old 767 in question – registration N189DN was also involved in another incident in June when flying from New York to Los Angeles.
A little over four hours into the flight and while at 38,000ft the plane diverted to Salt Lake City after a faulty ice sensor was discovered and after being repaired on the ground and it was later cleared for take-off.
But as it taxied to the runway an emergency slide deployed onboard causing minor injury to a cabin attendant who was hit and had to be taken to hospital – a picture taken by a passenger shows the slide squashed up against the door at the back of the plane.
A spokesperson for easyJet confirmed one of its planes has decided to abort take-off because of the weather and told MailOnline: ‘The captain of the flight departing from Milan Malpensa at the time made the decision return to the stand from the runway.
‘This was made prior to take-off as the onboard radar had identified the thunderstorm and the pilot waited for the weather in the area to improve before departing safely.’
Giacomo Borrelli, spokesperson for the Italian Civil Aviation Authority in Rome, told MailOnline: ‘We are speaking with the parties concerned, including the airline, to obtain an understanding of the circumstances involved and the damage suffered by the airplane.
‘After which a decision will then be taken as to what steps should happen next.’
In a statement Delta told MailOnline: ‘Delta flight 185 from Milan to New York-JFK diverted to Rome after experiencing a weather-related issue shortly after departure. The flight landed safely in Rome where passengers deplaned normally. Delta apologizes for the delay to our customers’ travels. The safety of our customers and crew is our top priority.’
They refused to answer any other questions.
