British Airways Airbus A320 Diverts to Gatwick After Lightning Strike
Passengers onboard a British Airways flight from Stuttgart to London Heathrow on Sunday were unexpectedly diverted to London Gatwick after the Airbus A320 was struck by lightning. Although it is common for aircraft to experience lightning strikes once or twice a year, crews take utmost precaution to ensure the safety of everyone on board by landing the aircraft as soon as possible.
No injuries were reported among the passengers or crew, and the aircraft landed safely at Gatwick Airport, located in South London, about an hour after its expected arrival time in the British capital. Upon arrival, passengers were transported by bus to London Heathrow, 39 miles away.
The flight, identified as BA919, is part of British Airways' daily service between Stuttgart, Germany, and London Heathrow. On July 8, the flight departed Stuttgart Airport at 13:38, later than the scheduled departure of 12:55. The Airbus A320 climbed to a cruising altitude of 36,000 feet, flying over Luxembourg and Belgium before approaching the UK.
The exact point at which the aircraft was struck by lightning is unclear. The aircraft descended to 3,600 feet over London before being redirected to Gatwick. It climbed to 6,000 feet before landing at 14:24, nearly an hour behind its scheduled arrival time of 13:40 at Heathrow. After landing, the aircraft remained at Gatwick for six hours before being repositioned to Heathrow at 20:23. It resumed normal operations the following morning.
The aircraft involved, G-EUYM, is a 13-year-old Airbus A320 powered by two IAE V2527-A5 engines. It was first flown under test registration F-WWIB on July 15, 2011, before being delivered to British Airways on August 5, 2011.
