A piece of an Airbus plane was found by an inhabitant of the village of Daux, near Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS), France. The part likely belonged to a test aircraft.
The part was described as “a one meter long and 50 centimeters wide piece made of composite material” by Patrice Lagorce, the mayor of this little village located about 15 kilometers southwest from Airbus headquarters. It did not cause any damage after falling in a garden within a residential area, according to the local France 3 TV channel. The discovery was made on November 19, 2019, but was only made public on November 27, 2019.
With very few commercial flights flying over Daux, the mayor believes that the part likely belonged to a test aircraft. The French Accident Investigation Bureau for State Aviation Safety (BEA-É), responsible for incidents on aircraft not yet registered, received a report but did not open an inquiry as the manufacturer is carrying out its own investigation. “We confirm an aircraft part has been found and we are investigating the issue internally,” Airbus told AeroTime.
This incident happened at a very particular time for the village: an evaluation into opening new airways for Toulouse-Blagnac flights is about to be published. Some of those routes would fly directly above Daux, a possibility that was met with criticism by some inhabitants. While the area of the incident would not be concerned directly, Airbus’ mishap could reignite tensions in the village.