Wizz Air UK’s first Airbus A321XLR aircraft has been grounded in Prague since a hard landing incident in September, according to a preliminary report released by the Czech Air Accident Investigation Institute (UZPLN).
The airplane is still in Prague after two months
The incident occurred on 11 September, when the aircraft, registered as G-XLRA, was operating a scheduled flight from London Gatwick to Prague. The plane was performing an ILS (Instrument Landing System) approach to Runway 24 under good visibility, with variable winds of around 10 knots (approximately 18 km/h) from 150°–220°.
During the final stage of the approach, as the aircraft descended from around 22 to 10 metres (75 to 30 feet), its rate of descent abruptly increased by 60 percent – from 146 metres to 234 metres (480 to 768 feet) per minute. The jet then touched down firmly at a pitch angle of six degrees, generating a vertical acceleration of 2.54 G.
The crew did not have much experience with the model before
According to AIRportál, the aircraft subsequently bounced, and as the spoilers deployed on the wings, the pitch angle rose further to 9.7 degrees. This caused the tail section to scrape along the runway surface before the plane stabilised and continued its rollout.
According to the UZPLN report, the landing was carried out by the first officer, who had 450 flight hours on the A320 family but was flying the A321XLR variant for only the third time. Meanwhile, it was the captain’s first flight as commander on this specific long-range version of the A321.
After the hard landing, the aircraft taxied safely to the terminal. No injuries were reported among passengers or crew, but post-flight inspections revealed structural damage to the lower section of the tail.
It is unknown when the Wizz Air plane will serve again
The damaged aircraft remains parked at Prague Airport more than two months later. Repair work has not yet commenced, and it is unclear when the jet will return to service. Due to its extended range and additional systems, maintenance and spare part procurement for the A321XLR are significantly more complex than for the standard A321 model.
The affected jet is Wizz Air UK’s first and only A321XLR, delivered in May this year as part of the airline’s strategy to expand long-haul operations from its UK bases. However, its early operational life has been abruptly interrupted, and the airline has yet to confirm when it expects the aircraft to rejoin the fleet.
Chilean airline dibs on not taken up Wizz Air Airbus
© Maurice Becker
The first of three WizzAir NTU (not-taken-up) A321s purchased by JetSMART can be seen on a new photograph being towed at one of Aviasur’s maintenance bases, which the airline frequently uses.
