World’s Longest Aircraft Damaged After Flight
Joe Cortez August 25, 2016
Landing error causes the cockpit to crush against the ground, with no injuries reported
Investigators and developers of the world’s longest aircraft are trying to determine what went wrong, after a bad landing resulted in a crushed cockpit. BBC News reports the 302-foot Airlander 10 received the damage during a flight from Cardington Airfield in Bedfordshire, England.
According to witnesses, the aircraft was preparing to land after a nearly two-hour flight when the incident took place. Instead of landing normally, the aircraft suddenly went into a nosedive and crashed into the ground. Although nobody was injured in the incident, the cockpit received some damage.
“The Airlander experienced a heavy landing and the front of the flight deck has sustained some damage which is currently being assessed,” Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV), the manufacturer of the aircraft, said in a statement. “Hybrid Air Vehicles runs a robust set of procedures for flight test activities and investigation of issues…we will be running through these in the days ahead as we continue the development of the Airlander aircraft.”
A spokesperson for HAV denied rumors that a low-hanging cable from the aircraft struck a telegraph pole and contributed to the accident. The British Air Accidents Investigation Branch is also looking into the accident, but will not send an investigation team to the site.
The 302-foot aircraft is 63 feet longer than the Airbus A380 and was originally developed for the U.S. military as a surveillance aircraft. HAV says they hope to manufacture ten hybrid aircraft-airships in the next five years for civil purposes, including passenger and freight transport.
[Photo: Hybrid Air Vehicle]
