AIR investigators are baffled by an apparent near-miss between an Aer Lingus jet and an unidentified flying object.
The BAe 146, bound for Stansted from Dublin, took evasive action after both pilots saw what they described as a red aircraft with blue and white stripes heading towards them as they flew over Hertfordshire. The jet passed 100ft above the interloper two seconds later.
The crew reported the incident to air traffic control and suggested that what they had seen might have been a military aircraft, such as a Red Arrows Hawk. But inquiries, involving searches of radar recordings and radio transcripts, failed to find another aircraft.
Investigators established that no Red Arrows aircraft flew that day, and checks on all military or civil Hawks revealed that the last one to be airborne had landed four hours earlier. Inquiries into the whereabouts of Gnat aircraft, which are similar to Hawks, also revealed no flights.
The possibility that an unregistered ex-military aircraft had taken off from a private airstrip was ruled out as “inconceivable” because radar in the area would make detection a certainty.
The Civil Aviation Authority group set up to examine the incident said yesterday that there was no doubt that the pilots “saw something and agreed in some detail in their descriptions”.
Group members speculated that the object could have been a model aircraft, an advertising balloon, or even plastic sheeting. But the lack of radar evidence “meant that members could feel reasonably certain that what had been seen was not an aeroplane”. Similarly, the degree of risk to the jet from the incident, which occurred last June, was “impossible to assess”.
Aer Lingus said its pilots had reported the event because they were trained to do so. The airline predicted that the incident was “likely to remain a mystery”.
By: Grey Area - 18th June 2005 at 14:32
I think my fellow Mod is spot-on in his deliberations. 🙂
By: FlyMonarch - 18th June 2005 at 10:25
I say 320
thats what i would say, doesnt look long enough to be a A321??
By: bmi-star - 18th June 2005 at 10:24
I say 320
By: Mark L - 18th June 2005 at 10:11
The angle does make it look longer than you would otherwise think, but as Dan says the forward section is not long enough to be an A321.
Also I dont believe the 321 uses different engines to the 320 either, so you shouldnt be able to tell that way?
By: wannabe pilot - 18th June 2005 at 09:53
Hmm I’m going with A320. The forward part of the fuselage doesn’t look long enough to be that of an A321.
By: SOFTLAD - 18th June 2005 at 09:17
Yeah i’d agree with that.
By: LFC24 - 18th June 2005 at 09:15
Judging by the engines, an A321.
By: atc pal - 8th March 2004 at 19:49
I’ve read this story before – some years ago.
Sounds like a UFO-story (“There is something out there!”)
or a ghost story?
Could anyone dig out the real investigation. (Yes – but somebody’s got to do it)
Doing night shifts for close to 30 years – seen a handful of spectacular shooting stars (that kind). Remaining sceptical –
and yours truly
By: SHAMROCK321 - 8th March 2004 at 18:27
Aer Lingus still have one of their 146s in DUB which they will be using for training.
By: MSR777 - 3rd March 2004 at 21:31
Up until around 2 yrs ago Aer Lingus ran daily scheduled services from STN using 146 aircraft. During week days there were 7 flights per day between either DUB or SNN with the number of rotations down to 6 daily at weekends. This programme was then moved to LCY and a few months back cancelled altogether and the 146s disposed of. I believe that the Irish flights ex LCY are now operated by Cityjet.
By: Mark L - 3rd March 2004 at 21:23
It says last June in the article. Also the 146s came into STN several times for maintenace and on charters
By: SHAMROCK321 - 3rd March 2004 at 19:31
Its a bit of a mystery in its self why an Aer Lingus BAe146 was flying from Stansted.First off all they only gly to LHR and they retired the 146s last year or was it just doing some tests or somthing.
By: Arabella-Cox - 3rd March 2004 at 18:13
It was probably me flying to school.I need to get away from the ground sometimes!:D I do remember seeing a leaf!?!?!?!:rolleyes:
By: KabirT - 3rd March 2004 at 14:16
nah it was just superman!:D
By: cheesebag - 3rd March 2004 at 12:16
Sounds like the ghost of Dan Air…..:D
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March 3, 2004 at 9:30 am