Thomson B738 at Bournemouth on Jan 10th 2017, bird strike

Last Update: March 9, 2017 / 14:38:09 GMT/Zulu time

Bookmark this article
Incident Facts

Date of incident
Jan 10, 2017

Classification
Incident

Flight number
BY-6248

Aircraft Registration
G-FDZY

Aircraft Type
Boeing 737-800

ICAO Type Designator
B738

A Thomson Airways Boeing 737-800, registration G-FDZY performing flight BY-6248 from Bournemouth,EN (UK) to Tenerife South,CI (Spain) with 177 passenges and 7 crew, was climbing out of Bournemouth's runway 26 when the left hand engine ingested a bird and emitted a bang followed by vibrations. The crew stopped the climb at 4000 feet, entered a hold and subsequently decided to divert to London Gatwick,EN (UK). The aircraft climbed to 7000 feet enroute to Gatwick and landed safely on runway 26L about 65 minutes after departure.

The airline reported the crew suspected a bird strike and diverted to Gatwick as a precaution.

A passenger tweeted a photo of the captain showing a dead seagull in a plastic bag to the passengers after landing reporting the seagull had been ingested into the engine.

A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration G-TAWR continued the flight and reached Tenerife with a delay of 4 hours.

On Mar 9th 2017 the AAIB released their bulletin writing:

As the aircraft was rotated for takeoff the left engine ingested a bird, which was later identified as a seagull. A change to the engine sound was heard and the indicated engine vibration increased, accompanied by light airframe vibration. Takeoff thrust was maintained without engine limits being exceeded.

The crew levelled the aircraft at 4,000 ft amsl to assess the situation and requested a return to Bournemouth to hold. They informed ATC of the birdstrike and asked for the runway to be inspected.

With the aircraft in level flight, the vibration reduced and the engine was operating within allowable parameters. The crew liaised with the aircraft operator by radio and decided to divert to London Gatwick, which has a longer runway than Bournemouth. The time in the hold was used to brief the crew and passengers, burn fuel to reduce the landing weight and consult the Quick Reference Handbook; the ‘High Engine Vibration’ checklist was reviewed to pre-empt an increase in vibration in the event of a go-around. It was apparent that engine vibration worsened if power was increased, so the crew decided to perform a precautionary overweight landing using flap 15. Landing performance was confirmed satisfactory and the crew briefed on flare technique, stopping and selecting non-standard flap 1 in the event of a go-around.

A PAN call was made when the diversion was initiated and the crew briefed Gatwick ATC that they intended to vacate the runway and stop to allow the fire service to examine the engine and brakes. The crew informed the cabin crew and passengers that they were diverting to Gatwick and explained the expected order of events on the ground.

The landing was uneventful and, after the fire service had completed an external check of the aircraft, it was taxied to a parking stand with the left engine shut down. Three fan blades were damaged by the birdstrike. The engine was subsequently repaired on-wing.
Incident Facts

Date of incident
Jan 10, 2017

Classification
Incident

Flight number
BY-6248

Aircraft Registration
G-FDZY

Aircraft Type
Boeing 737-800

ICAO Type Designator
B738

This article is published under license from Avherald.com. © of text by Avherald.com.
Article source

You can read 2 more free articles without a subscription.

Subscribe now and continue reading without any limits!

Are you a subscriber? Login
Subscribe

Read unlimited articles and receive our daily update briefing. Gain better insights into what is happening in commercial aviation safety.

Send tip

Support AeroInside by sending a small tip amount.

Related articles

Newest articles

Subscribe today

Are you researching aviation incidents? Get access to AeroInside Insights, unlimited read access and receive the daily newsletter.

Pick your plan and subscribe

Partner

Blockaviation logo

A new way to document and demonstrate airworthiness compliance and aircraft value. Find out more.

ELITE Logo

ELITE Simulation Solutions is a leading global provider of Flight Simulation Training Devices, IFR training software as well as flight controls and related services. Find out more.

Blue Altitude Logo

Your regulation partner, specialists in aviation safety and compliance; providing training, auditing, and consultancy services. Find out more.

AeroInside Blog
Popular aircraft
Airbus A320
Boeing 737-800
Boeing 737-800 MAX
Popular airlines
American Airlines
United
Delta
Air Canada
Lufthansa
British Airways