What happened
On September 29, 2011, a TAROM ATR 72-500, registered YR-ATH, was operating flight ROT 709 from Bucharest Otopeni to Iași. During the final approach and landing at Iași Airport, the aircraft touched down on runway 16. While decelerating after touchdown, the right main landing gear struck a wild boar that was crossing the runway.
The impact occurred approximately 150 meters from the runway centerline while the aircraft was traveling at roughly 100 knots (185 km/h). The animal was hit laterally by the outer tire of the right main gear. Despite the collision, the aircraft maintained its trajectory and taxied normally to the parking stand, where passengers disembarked without issue.
The investigation
The Romanian Civil Aviation Safety Investigation Commission (CIAS) examined the incident, focusing on the structural integrity of the aircraft following the wildlife strike. Flight data recorder analysis confirmed touchdown at 106 knots and impact with the animal at 100 knots. Vertical and longitudinal accelerations did not indicate forces that would have structurally overloaded the airframe.
An inspection conducted at Iași revealed damage limited to the right main landing gear area: the landing gear door was damaged, tire number 4 was burst, and the proximity sensor support was broken. The manufacturer, ATR, reviewed the inspection results and determined that no major structural damage had occurred. Consequently, ATR authorized the aircraft to perform a ferry flight back to its base at Bucharest Otopeni for further repairs.
The investigation also looked into wildlife management at Iași Airport. It was found that airport authorities had previously reported the presence of wild boars in the southwest area of the airfield to local hunting associations, but no effective countermeasures were implemented. The airport lacked a specific study on wildlife risks or written procedures for deterring animals, despite being adjacent to forest and agricultural areas known to attract them.
Findings
The investigation determined that the wild boar crossing the runway was the primary cause of the incident. However, due to the glancing nature of the impact with the outer tire of the right main gear, the energy transfer was insufficient to cause catastrophic structural failure or loss of control. The aircraft's ability to continue safely was also attributed to the absence of severe weather conditions and the crew's successful management of the deceleration phase.
Contributing factors included inadequate wildlife deterrence measures at Iași Airport and a lack of formalized procedures for managing wildlife hazards in areas adjacent to forested habitats.
Safety action
The report highlighted the need for improved wildlife risk assessments and deterrent strategies at airports located near natural habitats. While no specific safety recommendations were issued in the provided text, the incident underscored the importance of perimeter security and habitat management to prevent similar occurrences.