MAY 19, 2021

Bird strike is when a bird is sucked into the engine of an airborne plane which ultimately alters the efficiency of the engine and could lead to disaster if the pilot does not act professionally. In such instance, pilots are advised to make an emergency landing rather than continuing with the flight.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has commended the pilot of Aero Contractor Flight for acting professionally in returning to base after it encountered a bird strike minutes after take-off at the Port Harcourt International Airport (PHIA), Omagwa, River States.

Bird strike is when a bird is sucked into the engine of an airborne plane which ultimately alters the efficiency of the engine and could lead to disaster if the pilot does not act professionally. In such instance, pilots are advised to make an emergency landing rather than continuing with the flight. Bird strike has caused many air crashes across the world especially among smaller aircraft.

The Director-General of the NCAA, Musa Nuhu explained that the aircraft, a Boeing 737-500 marked 5N-BKR, was heading to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja before the flight was aborted.

The pilot had noticed a bird strike and quickly made a circuit and returned to base within eight minutes after the incident thus averting the death of 91 persons.

The aircraft was said to have departed PHIA for Abuja with 91 persons on board; 85 passengers and six crewmembers at 2:06 pm and returned to base at 2:14 pm.

According to him, the incident led to the damage of the aircraft’s blade, stressing that the airline’s engineers were currently fixing the damaged part of the aircraft.

Nuhu explained further that Aero Contractors brought another aircraft to airlift the passengers to Abuja within 90 minutes of the incident, stressing that the damaged part of the aircraft was undergoing repairs in Port Harcourt.

He said: “Boeing 737-500 aircraft with the registration number: 5N-BKR belonging to Aero Contractors departed Port Harcourt to Abuja, but, during take off, it had a bird strike and the pilot continued the take-off, made a circuit, and returned to land.”