A Ryanair flight was forced to make an emergency landing with just five or six minutes of fuel remaining, according to a report by the Air Accidents Investigation Board (AAIB). The incident occurred on October 3 last year, when flight FR3418 from Pisa Airport in Italy encountered severe weather conditions.
The Boeing 737, operated by Malta Air on behalf of Ryanair, was originally scheduled to land at Glasgow Prestwick Airport. However, after two failed attempts due to windshear, the pilots diverted to Edinburgh Airport. Unable to land there as well, the aircraft was eventually diverted to Manchester Airport, where it landed safely after declaring an emergency.
At the time of landing, the plane had just 220kg of fuel left in its tanks, enough for only five to six minutes of flying. The AAIB confirmed that the aircraft 'landed below final reserve fuel after three windshear go-arounds and a diversion'. A go-around is a standard procedure where pilots abort a landing and circle for another attempt, often due to sudden gusts of wind.
Storm Amy was battering northern and western Europe at the time, bringing high winds of almost 100mph in remote areas of Scotland and adverse weather warnings. The AAIB has launched an investigation into the incident, which remains ongoing. Ryanair stated that the incident was reported to the relevant authorities and is under investigation.
