Plane Bound To Leipzig Hit By Bird Strike
Today, a Condor aircraft (A321) departing from Christiano Ronaldo International Airport (FNC) encountered an incident during takeoff. As captured by the Madeira Aviation Spotting Channel, the aircraft bound for Leipzig, Germany, experienced an engine issue attributed to a reported bird strike. Despite the engine briefly catching fire, the crew managed the situation. Crew and passengers continued their journey safely and successfully landed at their destination a few hours later.
How Dangerous Are Bird Strikes?
Bird strikes can be a serious threat to airplanes, but fortunately, most are not catastrophic. Here's a breakdown of the risks:
Birdstrikes usually cause insignificant damage: According to estimates, only 15% of strikes result in any damage to the aircraft. Many birds are small and the plane's design can deflect or deal with the impact. In the US alone, there are over 13,000 bird strikes every year, and 80% of bird strikes are not reported.
Bird strikes can be deadly in rare cases: While not common at all, they have been a factor in some major accidents. Large birds or multiple hits during critical times (like takeoff) can cause severe damage to the plane. The most famous example is US Airways Flight 1549 (Hudson River Collision, 0 Fatalities), which ditched in the Hudson River after multiple bird strikes disabled its engines, or the 1995 Alaska Boeing Incident that took the lives of 24 crew members
Bird strikes are a risk to pilots: A bird strike through the windshield could injure or incapacitate the pilot. Again, this is very rare.
Bird Strike Likely Frightening For Passengers
Overall, bird strikes are a risk that pilots and companies are trying to minimize. However, the risk is minor and in the big picture, such collisions are unavoidable and usually harmless. Nevertheless, it must have been a frightening experience for passengers witnessing the brief fire on the aircraft’s engine.
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