On Jan 22nd, 2026, a Vueling Airbus A321-200, registration EC-MGZ, operating flight VY-3015 from Fuerteventura (Canary Islands) to Barcelona (Spain), experienced an unusual in-flight structural failure that went completely unnoticed by the flight crew.
The aircraft departed Fuerteventura’s runway 01 when the skin of a plate from the thrust reverser system separated from the aircraft shortly after takeoff. Despite the loss of this component, no abnormal indications were recorded on the flight deck, and the crew remained unaware that any damage had occurred. With all parameters appearing normal, the flight continued as planned and landed safely in Barcelona.
Notably, the thrust reversers operated normally during landing, providing no indication of the missing panel. The damage was only discovered later during post-flight maintenance inspections, highlighting how subtle structural issues can remain undetected in flight even on modern aircraft with extensive monitoring systems.
Spain’s accident investigation authority CIAIAC classified the event as a serious incident and opened a formal investigation. Investigators noted that the damage was minor and did not affect aircraft handling or system indications during the flight, but emphasized that the in-flight loss of an external aircraft component warrants close scrutiny due to the potential risks involved.
Following the discovery, the Airbus A321 remained grounded in Barcelona for about 10 days, until Feb 1st, 2026, before returning to service after repairs and inspections.
The incident underscores how structural component separations can occur without immediate cockpit awareness, and why thorough post-flight inspections remain a critical layer of aviation safety, even when flights conclude without incident.
