The Airbus A220 has suffered its first known total loss, and the circumstances make it especially unusual. Rather than a crash or an in-service accident, the airBaltic aircraft, registration YL-AAO, was lost after a ground fire, which was later deemed beyond economic repair. Air Data News reports the fire occurred on June 14, 2025, during an auxiliary power unit ground run following heavy maintenance, and that Airbus concluded in December 2025 that repairing the aircraft was not economically viable.

That turned what first appeared to be an isolated maintenance event into the first known write-off of the A220 family. It also carried a measurable financial hit for airBaltic: the airline said the incident had a net negative impact of €6.2 million, reflecting the write-down of the aircraft, related costs and lease expenses, and after the offset of a $33.4 million insurance settlement.

What Happened To YL-AAO

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YL-AAO was one of the earlier A220s delivered to airBaltic, arriving from Airbus’s Montreal facility in March 2019 before entering service later that month carrying the name Jelgava. The aircraft underwent heavy maintenance at Riga International Airport last summer after an extensive period in storage, likely associated with its problematic Pratt & Whitney PW1521G-3 engines that have forced airBaltic to ground numerous aircraft, suspend routes and cut frequencies.

At the conclusion of the maintenance, an auxiliary power unit (APU) ground run was conducted as part of the maintenance release process. A fire subsequently broke out, causing extensive heat damage to the fuselage and wing root area. The source of the fire was identified as the ozone filter, part of the environmental control system that converts ozone in bleed air before it enters the cabin.

The aircraft remained in Riga for inspection by insurers and Airbus specialists, before Airbus Engineering subsequiently concluded that restoring it was not economically viable. airBaltic was quick to point out that the incident wasn’t caused due to lapses in its own processes, saying in a statement:

“Following an assessment, Airbus representatives have concluded that restoring the aircraft would not be economically viable. Their investigation also determined that the maintenance work had been carried out in accordance with all applicable procedures in force at the time.”

Rare Ground Losses

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Hull losses and on the ground are rare, but they are not unheard of. One of the best-known examples came in November 2007, when a brand-new Airbus A340-600 built for Etihad Airways was seriously damaged during engine ground testing in Toulouse after it jumped its chocks and struck a blast wall. Investigators found the test had not been carried out in line with Airbus guidelines, including the fact that the aircraft had been powered up while unchocked. The aircraft, which was not even two months old, was ultimately written off.

Another clear example came earlier that same year when a Qatar Airways Airbus A300-600 was completely destroyed in a hangar fire while undergoing maintenance in Abu Dhabi. The cause of the fire was likely a spark or electrostatic discharge from paint-spraying equipment while the aircraft was undergoing interior work, and exacerbated by flammable vapor that had built up under polythene sheeting during the painting process.

A different kind of ground casualty came in 2013, when an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 787-8 caught fire while parked and unoccupied at London Heathrow Airport. The UK AAIB later concluded that the fire originated from the emergency locator transmitter’s lithium-metal battery, and the aircraft suffered extensive heat damage in the rear fuselage area. Unlike the other cases, the aircraft was able to be repaired, returning to the skies later that year, and it continues to fly to this day.

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Not The First A220 To Be Broken Up

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While YL-AAO is the first A220 hull loss as the result of an incident, it is not the first A220 to be removed from circulation. Last year a former Egyptair A220 was scrapped for parts in Canada, becoming the first known A220 part-out. The airline took delivery of its first A220 in 2019 and eventually operated a fleet of 12, but the type proved troublesome in service. Persistent Pratt & Whitney engine issues left aircraft spending too much time in the shop, forcing the airline to fall back on older jets and undermining the economics the fleet had been bought for in the first place.

By early 2024, EgyptAir had sold all 12 A220s to lessor Azorra, which partnered with Delta Material Services (a subsidiary of the US airline) on the first teardown. The aircraft was used as a source of engines and high-value parts at a time of acute shortages, helping to support Delta Air Lines‘ own A220 fleet, and underscoring how valuable usable components had become and why there are multiple instances of almost-new aircraft being scrapped for parts.

That is the important distinction in the airBaltic story. EgyptAir’s former A220s were broken up because the economics of parts and engine demand made teardown attractive. YL-AAO, by contrast, is the first A220 actually written off because of an incident. The airBaltic aircraft is therefore two stories at once: the A220’s first write-off after nearly a decade of service, and a reminder that some of aviation’s most consequential losses never happen in the air at all.