What happened
On October 7, 2016, an Airbus 319 was performing an approach to landing on runway 25 at Katowice Airport (EPKK). During the descent, at an altitude of approximately 3,800 feet near the KK507 navigational point, the flight crew heard an impact. Although the crew did not visually observe any bird, they filed a Bird Strike Report (BSR) following the landing.
The investigation
The investigation, conducted by the airport operator, included a physical inspection of the aircraft. The examination revealed impact marks on the static pressure sensor and the aircraft wing. While the presence of a bird was confirmed, the physical evidence was insufficient to identify the specific species involved.
Following the inspection, the aircraft experienced a delay of several hours before it was able to depart.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was the presence of a bird in the flight path of the landing aircraft.
- During the 201 and 2016 summer season, there was a notable increase in bird strike incidents compared to previous years.
- The increase in strikes was attributed to a 20% rise in flight operations and an exceptionally large population of great tits and kestrels expanding into urbanized areas.