Air France to undergo new safety probe in the wake of freighter incident

Air France is now scheduled to undergo a new safety probe after a recent incident involving a calculating mishap endangered one of its freighters.

The incident in question took place after a mistake was made in relation to the data encoded into the airplane's computer. The two pilots at the helm incorrectly entered data related to the plane's weight, and it led to the freighter accelerating too slowly on the runway at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport back on May 22, according to Yahoo News.

Thankfully, the pilots were able to remedy the situation in mid-takeoff, preventing any further mishap that could have come courtesy of their error.

According to The Globe and Mail, the two pilots entered a weight that was significantly less than what the airplane actually weighed. The discrepancy may have even amounted to 100 tonnes. 

Encoding a weight which is significantly less than the airplane's actual mass could lead to the aircraft attempting to takeoff without the requisite amount of speed. If this happens, the tail of the plane could come into contact with the ground, and the plane itself may even overshoot the runway.

Though the two pilots were ultimately able to solve the issue, they have still been taken off flying duties for now, according to Air France.

The latest incident casts Air France in an even more negative light, with the company still not having fully recovered from another incident concerning one of its Boeing 777 airliners and one of the highest volcanoes in Africa, according to The Guardian.

The mishap nearly took place after the Boeing 777 nearly came into contact with Mount Cameroon. The near miss was reportedly caused by a route taken by the crew in order to avoid a storm near the area.

37 people were on board the Boeing 777 when it nearly collided with Mount Cameroon.