Tyrkiske Corendon reagerte ikke på tail-strike - Curt Lewis

Tail-strike damage found after Corendon 737 diversion

Turkish investigators are looking into a serious incident involving a Boeing 737-800 which suffered a tail-strike on departure from Billund.

The Corendon Airlines aircraft had been bound for Antalya on 5 March.

Although it sustained the tail-strike on take-off, in darkness, the aircraft did not return to the airport but proceeded to follow its course to Turkey.

Danish investigation authority HCL says the strike "presumably went unnoticed" by the crew.

Some 1h 20min into the flight, in the vicinity of the Polish-Slovakian border, the crew chose to turn north and divert to Warsaw.

Initial inspection of the jet - an 11-year old airframe, registered TC-TJP - revealed damage consistent with a tail-strike on departure.

HCL has not explained what prompted the diversion to Warsaw. Turkish investigators have started an inquiry supported by the Danish authority.