Introduction
On July 20, 2024, at approximately 08:11 Japan Standard Time, a Bombardier DHC-8-402 aircraft operated by Oriental Air Bridge Co., Ltd. as scheduled flight ORC79 experienced a bird strike during landing at Tsushima Airport in Nagasaki Prefecture. The aircraft, registration JA858A, had departed from Fukuoka Airport at 07:47. There were 40 people on board, including the captain, three other crew members, and 36 passengers. No injuries were reported.
Aircraft and Crew Information
The aircraft, a Bombardier DHC-8-402 with serial number 4385, was manufactured on October 4, 2011. Its airworthiness certificate (No. Tou-24-328) was valid, maintained in accordance with the maintenance manual of All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd. The captain, aged 67, held an airline transport pilot certificate (airplane) since April 9, 1998, and a type rating for the Bombardier DHC-8 since June 17, 2022. The captain's Class 1 Aviation Medical Certificate was valid until August 14, 2024. The first officer occupied the right pilot seat.
Flight History and Sequence of Events
The aircraft landed on Runway 32 at Tsushima Airport. During the landing roll, near Taxiway T-2, a bird on the right side of the runway took off. The captain and first officer observed the bird but could not avoid it before it struck the right propeller. At the time of impact, the aircraft's airspeed was approximately 75 knots.
Damage to the Aircraft
The bird strike caused substantial damage requiring major repair. On the right fuselage, a dent measuring 14.5 cm wide, 13.0 cm long, and 0.5 cm deep was found between stringers 12S and 13S, near the X258.50 frame, beneath the ice shield. The ice shield over the dent sustained cracks. Additionally, approximately 8 cm was missing from the tip of blade #2 on the right propeller. Bloodstains from the bird were present on the ice shield and surrounding area, as well as on the right propeller blade #2 tip. Ice shields are aramid fiber reinforced plastic composite plates installed on both sides of the fuselage at the propeller plane to protect against ice thrown from the propellers.
Bird Strike Information
The remains of the bird, identified as a black kite measuring about 40 cm in length and weighing approximately 1 kg, were found on the runway near the impact point. The bird was broken into three pieces.
Bird Strike Prevention Measures
At Tsushima Airport, bird sweep patrols using firearms and fireworks were conducted on every scheduled flight, from 30 to 5 minutes prior to landing and up to engine start for departures, including on the day of the accident.
Investigation and Probable Cause
The Japan Transport Safety Board (JTSB) designated an investigator-in-charge on July 22, 2024, and an additional investigator on July 26, 2024. An accredited representative and adviser from Canada, as the state of design and manufacture, participated. The JTSB adopted its final report on April 4, 2025. The probable cause was determined to be a bird strike during the landing roll, which resulted in damage to the aircraft.