Loganair Flight 6780
Loganair Flight 6780 was a scheduled domestic flight from Aberdeen to Shetland, which was struck by lightning while approaching Sumburgh Airport. The plane plummeted but the pilots were able to regain control within seconds of impact against the North Sea. The flight was emergency diverted to Aberdeen.
| File:G-LGNO IMG 8367 (30929470804).jpg G-LGNO, the aircraft involved in the incident | |
| Incident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 15 December 2014 |
| Summary | Lightning strike, autopilot error |
| Site | Sumburgh, Shetland Islands Lua error in Module:Coordinates at line 489: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Saab 2000 |
| Aircraft name | Spirit of Aberdeen |
| Operator | Loganair |
| Registration | G-LGNO |
| Flight origin | Aberdeen Airport |
| Destination | Sumburgh Airport |
| Passengers | 30 |
| Crew | 3 |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Survivors | 33 |
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The AAIB issued five safety recommendations to the EASA and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to prevent a loss of control due to the autopilot. The safety advisory recommends reviewing the autopilot design of aircraft certified by the rules of Part 25 and equivalent regulations, including the Saab 2000, and require modification if necessary to ensure that pilots do not pose potential danger when applying forces that conflict with the autopilot.
Survivors[change]
Shona Manson, one of the passengers on Flight 6780 said: "I'm not scared of flying, but it was very, very rough. If it were someone who is afraid of flying, it would be their worst nightmare." She also related that after landing, the captain came out of the cabin, looking a bit shaken, to speak to the passengers noting that the incident could have been much worse.[1]
Dramatization[change]
The accident is featured in the first episode of Season 21 of Mayday, also known as Air Crash Investigation. The episode is titled "North Sea Nightmare".[2]
References[change]
- ↑ Ovenstone, Bert. "Shetland woman describes moment Aberdeen flight was hit by lightning". Press and Journal. Retrieved 2021-05-25.
- ↑ "North Sea Nightmare". Mayday. Season 21. Episode 1. National Geographic Channel.