Lavflyging på Stanstead

Aircraft strikes ILS at Stansted; 22 flights diverted

Flights into Stansted Airport in the UK were disrupted Tuesday morning after a Gulfstream G550 struck and damaged the airport's instrument landing system (ILS) while landing in low visibility.

The aircraft struck an ILS mast aerial on runway 04 at 0330 local time Dec. 10, putting the system out of service and disrupting inbound operations throughout the morning.

A Stansted Airport spokesman confirmed the G550 landed safely and taxied to the stand under its own power, but there was "some damage" to the ILS system. He was unable to specify the aircraft's registration or serial number.

The incident restricted arrivals on the airport's single runway until 1100. "We had about 22 diversions to Luton, East Midlands and Birmingham and we are still suffering some knock-on delays," he said. Outbound flights were unaffected.