Iberia New A321XLR Suffers Damage After Bird Strike, Makes U-Turn to Madrid

MADRID- An Iberia (IB) Airbus A321XLR sustained significant nose section damage after a bird strike shortly following takeoff from Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD), forcing an emergency return.

The aircraft was operating flight IB579 to Paris Orly Airport (ORY) when the incident occurred. No injuries were reported, and the aircraft landed safely back in Madrid on August 3, 2025.

Photo: Unknown

Iberia A321XLR Bird Strike

The bird strike took place shortly after takeoff, prompting the pilots to declare an emergency. The Airbus A321XLR involved in flight IB579 turned back to Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD), where it landed without further incident.

The collision caused visible and substantial damage to the aircraft’s nose radome—the rounded section at the front of the plane that houses the weather radar antenna.

Both the radome and the radar system are essential for detecting and navigating through adverse weather conditions. Without them, continuing the flight was not possible.

Video footage circulated on social media shows the aircraft being taxied after landing, with the crumpled nose section clearly visible. The extent of the damage suggests that the aircraft will remain grounded for repairs, which may involve replacing major components of the radar system.

Photo: Unknown

Emergency Landing Handled With Precision

Iberia confirmed that all safety protocols were followed and praised the flight crew for their quick and effective response. The airline emphasized that incidents of this nature are rare, especially with the A321XLR, one of the newer aircraft types in Iberia’s fleet.

The decision to return to MAD shortly after takeoff minimized risk to passengers and crew. There were no reported injuries, although passengers were likely alarmed by the sudden turnback. The aircraft landed safely, and airport operations were not significantly disrupted.

A bird strike, especially one that damages the nose radome, requires detailed structural inspection and often leads to extended maintenance. The weather radar housed in this section is critical for en route weather detection and avoidance, particularly on longer routes like Madrid to Paris.

The aircraft will remain out of service until Iberia’s engineering and maintenance teams, in coordination with Airbus, complete necessary inspections and repairs. Damage of this kind also prompts mandatory reporting to aviation authorities.

Photo: By Aero Icarus from Zürich, Switzerland – Delta Air Lines Airbus A320-212; N365NW@SLC;09.10.2011/621dc, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26713173

Similar Incident

Delta Air Lines (DL) flight DL1279 from Tampa International Airport (TPA) to Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) experienced a bird strike on January 29, 2025, during its descent.

The Airbus A320, operating the evening flight, landed safely at RDU despite the mid-air incident. There were no injuries, and the aircraft continued its schedule after inspection.

Delta flight DL1279 departed from Tampa (TPA) at 8:45 PM UTC, according to FlightRadar24 data. The aircraft, a 33-year-old Airbus A320 registered as N327NW, was approaching Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) when the flight crew reported a bird strike.

The incident occurred during final descent, but the pilots opted to continue with the approach rather than initiate a go-around. The aircraft landed safely at 10:10 PM UTC on Runway 23R-5L. After vacating the runway, it taxied to the terminal without further issue.

Once passengers and crew disembarked, Delta’s TechOps team inspected the aircraft on the ground at RDU. No significant damage was found, allowing the aircraft to remain in service.

The aircraft involved is an Airbus A320 powered by CFM56-5A engines. Despite its age—33 years—the jet continues to be used on domestic routes. After post-landing checks cleared it, the same aircraft continued its next leg from Raleigh-Durham (RDU) to Orlando International Airport (MCO) without delay.

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