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 take off for Nantes.
Human Error or Technical Issue?
As the Nouvel Air plane began its descent, it found itself just a few meters away from the EasyJet plane, which was preparing for departure. The Nouvel Air pilot managed to avoid a collision at the last minute by putting the plane back into ascent and performing a loop, allowing it to land safely 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.
Investigation Underway
The question remains as to whether there was a misunderstanding or confusion in the information provided by the control tower, or if there was a problem with visibility due to bad weather. It seems unlikely that an experienced pilot would make such a rookie mistake, getting the runway wrong so easily. Was there an issue with visibility, or was the EasyJet plane in the wrong place? The theories contradict each other.
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, such as where the air traffic controller was, who is supposed to be on the tarmac to guide planes and prevent collisions during arrival and departure procedures. Why didn't the control tower alert the Nouvel Air pilot to the presence of the EasyJet plane as it began its descent?
Similar Incident
It's worth noting that a similar incident 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 calm, bravery, and professionalism shown by the Nouvel Air pilot have confirmed the excellent reputation of Tunisian pilots worldwide.
