Delta Air Lines’ Boeing 767-300ER Overcomes Hail Damage

Delta Air Lines’ Boeing 767-300ER aircraft, bearing registration N189DN, has successfully completed its journey back to the United States following an extensive grounding due to hail damage. The wide-body jet, which remained grounded for over two weeks at Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino Airport (FCO), has now rejoined operations at Delta’s primary hub, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL), on August 7, 2023.

The incident unfolded on July 24, 2023, as Delta Air Lines flight DL185, aboard the Boeing 767-300ER, encountered a severe hailstorm en route from Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). Due to the hailstorm’s intensity, the aircraft was compelled to divert to FCO, resulting in significant damage to the fuselage, including a punctured radome. Just an hour after departing MXP, the aircraft declared a general emergency by squawking 7700 and promptly diverted to FCO.

Images circulated across social media platforms showcased substantial harm to the aircraft’s wings, along with damage to one of its engine spinners, further accentuating the punctured radome issue.

The 767-300ER was originally delivered by Boeing to Delta Air Lines in February 1997. Noteworthy data from ch-aviation.com reveals that as of May 31, 2023, the aircraft had amassed an impressive 112,627 flight hours and completed 16,592 flight cycles.

Prominent Aircraft Restoration Achievement This incident is not the maiden occurrence of Delta Air Lines’ decision to rehabilitate an aircraft subjected to significant damage. In a remarkable instance from August 2019, a Delta Boeing 757 (registration: N543US) sustained substantial fuselage damage upon landing at Ponta Delgada’s Aeroporto João Paulo II (PDL) in the Azores, Portugal. After undergoing meticulous repairs, the aircraft was successfully reintroduced to service within the United States by December 2019. Despite experiencing periods of storage at San Bernardino International Airport (SBD) amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Boeing 757 continued to operate Delta Air Lines flights until July 15, 2023. Subsequently, it was relocated from ATL to Jacksonville Cecil Airport (VQQ).

Presently, data from ch-aviation.com indicates that the Boeing 757 is undergoing essential maintenance procedures at Jacksonville Cecil Airport. The aircraft’s history includes initial delivery to Northwest Airlines in May 1996, and it became an integral part of Delta Air Lines’ fleet following the airline’s merger in 2008.