Near-Catastrophe at Nice Airport
On Sunday, a potentially disastrous incident occurred at Nice Airport. At 11:30 PM French time, a Nouvel Air Airbus from Tunis was preparing to land on the Nice tarmac, while an EasyJet plane was getting ready to depart for Nantes.
Human Error, Lack of Visibility, or Combination of Factors?
As the Nouvel Air plane descended, it found itself just a few meters away from the EasyJet plane, which was preparing for takeoff, and narrowly avoided a collision. Realizing that the runway was not clear for landing, the Nouvel Air pilot demonstrated exceptional professionalism and heroism by quickly accelerating and performing a loop to avoid the collision, eventually landing 20 minutes later.
According to a French media expert, the pilot had begun his descent on the wrong runway, the right one, which is reserved for takeoffs, not landings. However, it is standard procedure for pilots to strictly follow the instructions of air traffic controllers in the control tower for takeoff and landing procedures.
Confusion or Misunderstanding?
It is unclear whether there was a mix-up in the information provided by the control tower or a problem with understanding. It seems unlikely that an experienced pilot would make such a rookie mistake, getting the runway wrong so easily. Was there a visibility issue due to bad weather, or was the EasyJet plane in the wrong location? The theories are contradictory.
Investigation Underway
For now, the black boxes have been recovered, and two investigations have been opened to determine the exact causes of the incident, which could have turned into a terrible tragedy. This incident also raises other questions. Where was the air traffic controller supposed to be on the tarmac to guide the planes and prevent potential collisions during arrival and departure procedures? Why didn't the control tower controllers warn the Nouvel Air pilot of the EasyJet plane's presence when they saw him begin his descent?
Similar Incident
It's worth noting that a similar incident nearly occurred at another European airport over a month ago, where the control tower controller simply dozed off.
Heroic Pilot
In any case, whether at fault or not, the Nouvel Air pilot's calm, bravery, and exceptional professionalism have confirmed the excellent reputation of Tunisian pilots worldwide.
