Delta Air Lines flight to New York JFK was forced to make an emergency return on Wednesday afternoon due to hail storm.
A Delta Air Lines flight DL169 from Barcelona El Prat Airport (BCN) to New York JFK was forced to make an emergency return on Wednesday afternoon.
The Airbus A330-300 (registration N827NW) encountered hail shortly after departure from runway 06R on Saturday, July 12 2025.
According to reports, the crew notified air traffic control of a possible hail strike and indicated concerns about potential damage to the aircraft. As a precaution, they requested an immediate return to Barcelona.
After the situation was assessed, controllers instructed the aircraft to enter a holding pattern south of the airport while preparations were made for a safe landing.
At approximately 3:20 p.m. local time, the flight was cleared for approach to Runway 06L. The aircraft landed without further incident 54 minutes after departure and exited the runway under its own power.
The A330 aircraft will undergo a full inspection before being cleared for any future flights after the nose cone was damaged.
