Bird Strike Forces IndiGo Flight to Land Safely

Post by : Mina Rahman

On Sunday evening, an IndiGo flight traveling from Mumbai to Dehradun experienced a bird strike shortly before its landing at Jolly Grant Airport. The aircraft, identified as Flight IGO 5032, was nearing the airport around 6:45 pm when a bird hit its nose. Despite the apparent damage, the crew safely landed the airplane, ensuring that all 186 individuals on board remained unharmed.

An immediate inspection by an engineering team followed the landing, confirming the damage sustained during the incident. The aircraft is currently undergoing a meticulous examination and necessary repairs to verify it adheres to all safety regulations before being cleared for future flights. In addition, airport officials performed a comprehensive safety review of the runway as per standard procedures in such situations.

A bird strike is defined as a collision between a bird and an aircraft, most commonly occurring during takeoff or landing when planes are at lower altitudes. While most bird strikes are minor, they can cause significant risks by potentially damaging critical aircraft components. Frequently affected areas include the nose cone, windshield, wings, and landing lights. The highest risk emerges if a bird enters a jet engine, which could lead to vibrations, loss of power, or even shutdown in extreme scenarios. Modern jet engines can withstand impacts from smaller birds, but larger birds present a greater threat.

In case of a bird strike, pilots notify air traffic control promptly, and if already airborne, they adhere to established protocols for a safe landing. Post-landing, engineers perform thorough inspections to ascertain the aircraft's readiness for continued operations. Airports have implemented various preventive strategies to reduce bird strikes, including the use of trained personnel, lasers, and other deterrents to keep avians away from runways.

In this specific event, all 186 passengers were unscathed, and crew members reported no injuries either. The flight was evacuated according to standard operating protocols, and the effective response from both pilots and airport personnel ensured the incident concluded without any risk to passenger safety.

Bird strikes occur with some frequency in aviation but rarely lead to serious accidents due to strict safety measures and quick response actions. Aviation authorities remain committed to enhancing preventive measures and managing runways to mitigate such risks and safeguard the integrity of air travel.