What happened
On January 29, 2024, at approximately 19:00 UTC, an Airbus A320-232, registration LV-HVT, was performing a scheduled commercial flight from Ezeiza/Ministro Pistarini International Airport (SAEZ) to Gobernador Horacio Guzmán International Airport (SASJ) in Jujuy. While the aircraft was in the approach phase of the flight, it encountered a convective cell. During this encounter, the aircraft was struck by hail.
The investigation
The preliminary investigation focused on the flight path and meteorological conditions during the approach to SASJ. The aircraft, operated by JetSMAR S.A., was operating under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) at the time of the incident. The investigation established that the encounter with the convective core led to the impact of hail on the airframe.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the aircraft's passage through a convective cell.
- The impact of hail resulted in minor damage to the aircraft.
- There were no injuries reported among the 6 crew members or the 180 passengers on board.