What happened
On June 18, 2011, a Cessna 150J, registration PT-BKW, was conducting a flight instruction mission near Vera Cruz, Bahia. The aircraft was returning to Salvador Airport (SBSV) for landing on runway 17. During the approach, the Salvador Tower instructed the crew to perform a left-hand holding pattern to accommodate another aircraft approaching runway 10.
While executing the second orbit of the holding pattern, approximately 3 nautical miles from runway 17 at an altitude of 1,000 feet, the aircraft suffered a frontal collision with a vulture. The impact caused severe damage to the left side of the windshield. The student pilot, seated on the left, sustained severe injuries to the face, while the instructor remained uninjured. Following the impact, the instructor took control of the aircraft, requested priority landing, and successfully landed the aircraft one minute after the collision. The student was subsequently transported to a hospital by ambulance.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the area surrounding the collision point, specifically near the Portão Rotatória landmark. The investigation focused on identifying potential bird attraction sites within the Salvador Airport Bird Strike Risk Management Area (AGRA).
Investigators surveyed the nearby Metropolitan Landfill and the CEASA (Supply Center) facility. While the landfill was found to be a low risk due to active waste management and the use of fireworks to deter birds, the CEASA area was identified as a significant attraction point for vultures. The investigation also noted a lack of a formal system for pilots to report bird sightings to Air Traffic Services, which hindered the ability to issue precise NOTAMs or real-time warnings to other pilots.
Findings
- The primary contributing factor was the influence of the environment, specifically the presence of attractive bird habitats within the airport's risk management area.
- The CEASA facility serves as a major attraction point for vultures due to available food sources.
- The lack of a centralized database for recording bird sightings by crews prevented the implementation of more effective mitigation measures, such as precise altitude and species-specific alerts.