What happened
On 19 April 2003, a Boeing B7CO737-204 ADV, registration EI-CJH, was performing a scheduled flight from Dublin to Bristol. During the takeoff rotation phase at Dublin Airport, the aircraft's number one engine ingested several racing pigeons. The crew reported hearing multiple thuds followed by loud banging and significant fluctuations in the Engine Pressure Ratio (EPR).
Following the strike, the flight crew declared a PAN call and informed Air Traffic Control that the aircraft would climb straight ahead. After reaching the minimum flap retraction altitude, the captain took control of the aircraft while the first officer executed the necessary Quick Reference Handbook (QRH) checklists. The aircraft leveled off at 2,500 feet and requested a visual approach to runway 10. The flight landed safely on a single engine without further incident, and no injuries were reported among the 103 passengers or the 5 crew members on board. An inspection revealed that the left-hand engine fan blade assembly had sustained serious damage, requiring replacement.
The investigation
An investigation by the AAIU established that the bird strike involved racing pigeons that had been released from Arklow, Northern Ireland, for a race back to their lofts. While the presence of racing pigeons had been broadcast via the Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS) at Dublin Airport, the sheer volume of birds—part of a 21,000-pigeon release—posed a direct threat to the departing aircraft.
Investigators found that while pigeon racing rules generally prohibit releases within an 8-mile radius of major aerodromes like Dublin, the birds' flight paths intersected with the airport's active operations. Following the incident, the National Bird Hazard Committee met with various aviation and pigeon racing associations to address the man-made hazard.
Findings
- The primary cause of the engine damage was the ingestion of multiple racing pigeons into the number one engine during takeoff rotation.
- The incident was linked to a large-scale release of 21,000 racing pigeons from a location in the North of Ireland.
- Although the potential presence of birds was communicated via ATIS, the density of the flock during the takeoff phase created an unavoidable hazard for the aircraft.