A Delhi-bound SpiceJet Boeing 737 plane from Patna had to return as a bird hit led one among its engines to spark.
The plane with 185 passengers and 6 crew landed safely 5 minutes after take-off from Patna after the pilots shut down the affected engine and alerted air visitors management
Civil aviation regulator DGCA has confirmed {that a} bird hit led to the failure of Engine 1 on the Patna-Delhi SpiceJet plane, which was compelled to make an emergency touchdown at Bihta Airforce Station in Patna after its left wing caught fire.
“During take-off, the cockpit crew suspected a bird hit one of the engines. As a precautionary measure and as per SOP, the pilot shut down the affected engine and decided to return to Patna. The aircraft landed safely in Patna and passengers were safely deboarded. Post-flight inspection showed the bird hit caused damage to three fan blades,” the airline mentioned in an announcement.
While the pilots suspected a bird hit, they continued the climb because the sensors contained in the plane, didn’t give any indication of engine fire. It was after the cabin crew observed smoke billowing out from the engine that the pilots determined to flip again.
Bird hits are pretty frequent as airports are located in city areas. Cases are larger in India as many of the cities undergo from improper waste administration and open drains, attracting stray birds. According to information from DGCA, there have been 1,466 bird strike incidents and 29 animal strike incidents in 2021, throughout Indian airports. The DGCA had mentioned in a 2018 round that the presence of wildlife on and within the neighborhood of an airport poses a “serious threat” to plane operational security.
While many of the bird hits occur with the plane’s physique main to minor injury, but when the engine is broken, it could lead to smoke and fire as gasoline will leak out. In such circumstances, pilots shut down the impacted engine and land on the closest airport. Modern passenger planes are constructed to function even with a single engine.
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