Bird strike: NCAA commends Aero Contractor’s pilot for returning to base

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has said that the pilot of Aero Contractor’s Flight NIG382 acted professionally in returning to base after it encountered a bird strike on take-off at the Port Harcourt International Airport (PHIA), Megwa.

Interacting with aviation correspondents on the incident in Lagos, the Director-General of the agency, Capt. Musa Nuhu said that the aircraft, a Boeing 737-500 with the registration number 5N-BKR, was headed for Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja before the incident on Monday afternoon.

Nuhu explained that the pilot made a circuit and returned to base within eight minutes after the incident, maintaining that the action of the pilot was in order.

The aircraft had departed PHIA for Abuja with 91 souls 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 takeoff, it had a bird strike and the pilot continued the take-off, made a circuit, and returned to land.

“That is what is supposed to be done. Pilots are trained for that. At the point he had the bird strike, he could not abort the takeoff. So, he continued with the takeoff and returned to base. They restarted the engine and discovered that some parts of the blades were damaged. Within 90 minutes, Aero Contractors came with a different aircraft to rescue the passengers.

“As we speak, maintenance is going on to fix the damaged blade and when they finish, NCAA inspectors will inspect it and certify it if all the parameters; engines, blades, and others are okay, they will be released for flight.”

Nuhu added that no life was at risk because of the incident.