The passengers aboard American Airlines Flight 735 experienced a significant disruption when their aircraft was struck by lightning shortly after takeoff from London. The incident prompted the pilots to declare a general emergency, leading to an immediate return to London Heathrow Airport.
Emergency Landing Following Lightning Strike
Flight 735 departed from London Heathrow just before 3:30 p.m. local time on Wednesday, bound for Charlotte Douglas International Airport. However, while still over the U.K., the aircraft was hit by lightning, prompting the crew to issue a „code 7700“ alert, which signals a general emergency situation. The plane successfully landed back at Heathrow approximately one hour after its departure, according to flight tracking data from FlightAware.
Response and Inspection Procedures
Upon landing, fire and rescue teams were on standby to meet the aircraft and conduct a thorough inspection. The plane was subsequently grounded for safety assessments. As of now, American Airlines has not disclosed any details regarding potential damage to the aircraft.
“When it is suspected that a plane was hit by lightning, there is a mandatory inspection for damage, which can delay flights and be quite expensive,” stated the National Weather Service.
Flight Cancellations and Rescheduling
In addition to the emergency landing on Wednesday, Flight 735 was canceled the following day. However, the flight successfully completed its journey across the Atlantic on Friday, taking nearly nine hours to reach its destination.
Quellen: washingtontimes
Bildquelle: Foto von Georg Eiermann auf Unsplash
