Flight CWY02G from Birmingham to Belfast Returns Mid-Flight After Technical Alert
Overview
A Beechcraft Super King Air flight en route to Belfast was forced to make an unexpected return to Birmingham Airport this afternoon after a technical issue prompted an emergency response.
Flight CWY02G, operated by Woodgate Aviation under Eac Flight Training Limited, departed Birmingham Airport (BHX) at 12:17 UTC, seven minutes behind its scheduled departure time of 12:10 UTC. The aircraft was due to arrive at Belfast International Airport (BFS) at 13:17 UTC.
However, shortly after take-off, the aircraft is understood to have experienced a technical anomaly, which led the crew to divert back to Birmingham as a precaution. Tracking services including Flightradar24 and FlightAware showed the aircraft making a U-turn mid-route and returning to the Midlands airport where it landed safely.
The aircraft involved is a Beech B200 Super King Air, a twin-turboprop utility aircraft commonly used for regional charters, air ambulance services, and flight training operations.
Flight Overview:
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Route: Birmingham (BHX) → Belfast (BFS)
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Scheduled Departure: 12:10 UTC
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Actual Departure: 12:17 UTC
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Scheduled Arrival: 13:17 UTC
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Diversion: Returned safely to Birmingham (BHX)
The aircraft, registered G-NIAA, is frequently operated on corporate and training flights. CWY02G is a regular call sign used by Eac Flight Training Limited and has been active on various regional routes, including recent flights between Cambridge, Newcastle, Belfast, and London Stansted.
Online aviation forums such as civilianaviation.co.uk and flight tracking platforms including Flightradar24 and FlightAware logged the incident in real-time, with aviation enthusiasts observing the aircraft’s mid-air loop back towards Birmingham.
Although there were no immediate reports of injury or emergency declarations via a 7700 squawk, it is understood that the return was carried out under precautionary measures.
Operator Statement Pending
At the time of publication, Woodgate Aviation and Birmingham Airport authorities have not issued an official statement regarding the incident.
The flight was not carrying commercial passengers but was believed to be on a training or positioning leg. The exact cause of the return-to-base (RTB) has yet to be confirmed
