The wildest landing ever at Madeira Airport
Madeira Airport (FNC) is notorious for its challenging landing conditions, primarily due to the frequent occurrence of strong winds, which have been particularly intense recently. Additionally, it’s a favored spot for plane enthusiasts due to the anticipation of witnessing remarkable landings.
Two main factors appear to have contributed to this peculiar landing:
- The strong winds clearly affect the approach, which is evident from the numerous corrections made by the pilots as the aircraft nears the runway.
- The aircraft is likely operating at its minimum weight capacity since no passengers or cargo are onboard, potentially affecting its flying performance.
As depicted in the video, the aircraft seems to hover above the ground, defying attempts to land despite maintaining a steep nose-down angle. Finally, just before reaching the runway’s midpoint, the aircraft touches down, with the nose gear making contact significantly ahead of the main gear.
Unsurprisingly, once the aircraft touched down, it stopped without incident. However, it’s foreseeable that a thorough inspection of the landing gear will be necessary before the aircraft can resume service.
An exceptional landing unfolded in Madeira involving a TAP Air Portugal Airbus A321, where the aircraft made a touchdown with its nose gear leading the way.
What adds to the peculiarity is the consistent nose-down angle maintained throughout the runway approach, suggesting the pilots were aware of and possibly anticipated this outcome.
While challenging conditions prevailed, marked by strong winds and an exceptionally lightweight aircraft, the circumstances alone don’t entirely account for such an unusual landing.
