Near-Miss Incident at Nice Côte d'Azur Airport
On Sunday, September 21, 2025, at approximately 23:30, a Nouvelair Tunisie Airbus A320-214, registered as TS-INP, narrowly avoided a collision with an EasyJet A320 on runway 04R at Nice Côte d'Azur Airport.
Exceptional Maneuver in Difficult Conditions
According to the Global Aviation Spotters – Tunisia HQ, the Tunisian crew performed an exceptional maneuver to avoid the collision in extremely challenging weather conditions, marked by heavy rain, reduced visibility, and gusts reaching 35 knots. The incident occurred at a distance of less than three meters from another aircraft, an extremely rare feat in an airport with two separate runways for landings and takeoffs.
Official Statement from Nouvelair
In an official statement, Nouvelair confirmed the incident and specified that flight BJ586 from Tunis to Nice was following all applicable procedures. An investigation has been launched to determine the causes and exact circumstances, and the company is fully cooperating with French authorities. Nouvelair reaffirmed that the safety of its passengers and crew remains its top priority and that all its operations strictly adhere to international standards.
Approach and Landing Procedures
During the approach to Nice, the aircraft made contact with the Marseille flight information region to receive descent instructions. The crew connected to the ATIS frequency to obtain updated information on weather conditions and active runways, then requested precise vectors from the approach controller. The controller normally guides the aircraft to approximately 3,000 feet before authorizing it to follow the ILS (Instrument Landing System) of the assigned runway. Once established on the localizer, the control tower assumes complete surveillance of the landing, especially in unfavorable weather conditions.
Enhanced Safety Measures
To reinforce safety, Nice Airport is now considering the acquisition of an Approach Path Monitor (APM), capable of generating alerts if an aircraft is not correctly aligned with the runway during the final approach.
Heroic Actions of Nouvelair Pilots
The heroic actions of the Nouvelair pilots, combined with strict adherence to procedures and coordination with air traffic controllers, prevented a major accident in extremely hostile conditions.
