Despite the fact that Flybe has declared bankruptcy in March 2020, the regional airline is still leaving its marks, quite literally, around the aviation industry. One of the aircraft that belonged to Flybe was involved in an on-ground collision at Aberdeen International Airport (ABZ), United Kingdom.
The de Havilland Canada DHC Dash-8 Q400 turboprop was spotted hedged under a Loganair Embraer ERJ-145 (registered G-SAJS) at the Scottish airport. Reports indicate that no one was injured during the incident. Both aircraft had no people present onboard at the moment of collision.
So much for social distancing (no one was hurt) #avgeek pic.twitter.com/SDLQIArJWv
— Amy (@_Alpha_Delta) June 16, 2020
The United Kingdom’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has started its investigation into the accident.
A Loganair spokesperson told the BBC that the airline’s ERJ-145 was “hit by a former Flybe Bombardier Q400 aircraft, which we understand was being prepared for departure after being stored at Aberdeen Airport.”
The crew that worked on the ex-Flybe aircraft was safe, “yet understandably shaken,” added the representative.
The ex-Flybe DHC Dash-8 Q400 (registered G-JECK) belongs to Nordic Aviation Capital (NAC) and was leased by the regional airline since 2015, indicates planespotters.net data. The aircraft was impounded at the airport a day before Flybe declared administration on March 5, 2020.
UPDATE 17:03 (UTC+3): Nordic Aviation Capital confirmed that the aircraft involved in the incident was theirs. The Dash-8 Q400 was being moved to a maintenance facility in the Netherlands, according to a spokesperson from the company.
“The accident is under investigation so we cannot make any other comment,” added the spokesperson.
