On 4 May 2025, a Brussels Airlines Airbus A330-300 operating long-haul flight SN455 from Brussels to Bujumbura diverted to Entebbe International Airport following a hail strike that resulted in a cracked windshield. The aircraft, registration OO-SFE, was cruising at FL370 when the incident occurred approximately 130 nautical miles west-northwest of Entebbe. The flight crew made a precautionary decision to divert and landed safely just under one hour later.
There were no injuries reported among passengers or crew. The aircraft remains grounded in Entebbe pending full technical inspection and assessment.
Flight Overview
Operator: Brussels Airlines (on behalf of Lufthansa Group) Flight Number: SN455 Date of Occurrence: 4 May 2025 Aircraft Type: Airbus A330-343 Registration: OO-SFE Engines: 2 × Rolls-Royce Trent 772B Route: Brussels (EBBR/BRU) to Bujumbura (HBBA/BJM) Diversion Airport: Entebbe International Airport (HUEN/EBB) Cruising Altitude: FL370 Occupants: Not publicly confirmed (typical load: 250–280) Weather Conditions: Convective storm activity reported in region Final Status: Aircraft landed safely; remains grounded >50 hours post-event
Incident Sequence and Initial Decision
Flight SN455 was operating a scheduled intercontinental route from Belgium to Burundi when, at approximately FL370, the aircraft encountered severe convective weather activity over the central East African region. According to the airline’s post-event statement, the aircraft flew through a hailstorm, resulting in external damage to the flight deck windshield on the left-hand side.
At the time of the hail encounter, the aircraft was situated approximately 130 nautical miles west-northwest of Entebbe, well within the operational radius for a safe diversion.
Upon confirming the windshield damage and assessing cockpit visibility and structural risk, the flight crew elected to initiate a precautionary diversion to Entebbe International Airport, a diversion airport equipped to accommodate widebody aircraft with full emergency and maintenance support services.
Windshield Structure and Safety Considerations
A330 Windshield Composition
Airbus A330 windshields consist of three primary layers:
Outer Ply: Designed to withstand aerodynamic and thermal loads; most susceptible to environmental damage Intermediate Ply: Load-bearing structural layer Inner Ply: Cabin-facing, provides pressurisation barrier
The plies are laminated with polyvinyl interlayers and embedded with conductive layers for heating, defogging, and anti-icing.
Cracks in the outer ply are not immediately flight-critical, but cracks extending to the intermediate or inner ply require immediate descent and/or diversion due to the risk of structural failure, pressurisation loss, or pilot visibility obstruction.
Operational Response and Risk Management
The crew initiated standard Airbus QRH/ECAM procedures for cracked windshield, which include:
Assessing visibility through the affected panel Monitoring for pressurisation or noise changes Checking windshield anti-ice/defog systems Communicating with ATC regarding the intent to divert Avoiding further turbulent areas or moisture-laden clouds Descent to lower altitude if required
No reports have indicated a depressurisation event or structural decompression, meaning the damage was likely confined to the outer ply, but with enough severity to necessitate caution.
The crew maintained full control of the aircraft and executed a diversion profile toward Entebbe, including coordination with air traffic control for runway access, emergency standby, and post-landing inspection.
Landing and Post-Flight Actions
The aircraft landed safely on runway 35 at Entebbe International Airport approximately 55 minutes after diversion was initiated.
Post-landing, the aircraft taxied under its own power to a stand, where it was met by maintenance and airport emergency response teams. Passengers disembarked normally, and no injuries or cabin abnormalities were reported.
The aircraft has remained out of service at Entebbe for over 50 hours at the time of reporting. Inspection teams from Brussels Airlines’ technical division and Lufthansa Technik have either been dispatched or are supporting remotely.
Technical Focus Areas of the Inspection
Ground engineers are likely to focus on the following components and systems:
Windshield panel integrity assessment via visual inspection, tap tests, and transmissivity checks Delamination or fracture propagation mapping across the multi-layered panel Electrical continuity testing for windshield heater elements Airframe skin inspection for hailstone impact (nose cone, radome, leading edges, wing roots) Cabin pressurisation logs and sensor data review Borescope examination of potential ingestion areas (engines and APU inlet)
Additionally, data from the Centralised Maintenance System (CMS) and Flight Data Recorder (FDR) may provide input on:
Impact forces Flight path deviations System alerts or transient failures during or after the event
Aircraft Technical Data
Type: Airbus A330-343 Registration: OO-SFE MSN: Not disclosed Engines: 2 × Rolls-Royce Trent 772B Seating Configuration: Dual class (Business + Economy) Operational Role: Long-haul Africa network
Weather Context: Hail and Convective Activity
The equatorial belt over central Africa frequently experiences intense convective storm development, particularly during seasonal transitions. Embedded cumulonimbus cells may contain hailstones, microbursts, and rapid vertical air movements.
Airliners typically avoid such conditions using onboard weather radar, but under certain conditions:
Radar attenuation by heavy precipitation may conceal embedded hail Cell mergers can form rapidly between radar sweeps Strategic airspace limitations may restrict route deviation in dense FIR zones
The crew’s ability to avoid or detect the hailstorm may have been hampered by these operational realities, though no failure or fault is implied or assigned.
Regulatory and Investigative Follow-Up
This event qualifies as a reportable serious incident under EASA and ICAO Annex 13 guidelines due to:
In-flight damage to primary flight deck visibility components Diversion decision linked to structural impairment Prolonged aircraft grounding and maintenance impact
The incident has likely been reported to the Belgian Civil Aviation Authority (BCAA) and noted by the Ugandan Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) for coordination.
A final technical summary will be issued internally by Brussels Airlines and reported through ECCAIRS, ICAO ADREP, and Lufthansa Group safety monitoring systems.
Conclusion
The hail strike sustained by Brussels Airlines flight SN455 illustrates the operational hazards posed by convective weather even at cruise altitudes. Despite crew and system defences—including onboard radar and standard diversion protocols—the aircraft suffered external damage sufficient to warrant immediate rerouting.
The crew’s timely response, structured diversion, and successful landing at Entebbe mitigated further risk. Ongoing inspection and data analysis will determine the extent of structural and systems impact, but the incident resulted in no injuries, no decompression, and no secondary failures.
The aircraft remains grounded pending parts replacement, windshield repair, and full airworthiness validation.
Disclaimer
This article is based on publicly available information and reports at the time of writing. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, we cannot guarantee the completeness of the information provided.
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