What happened
On February 26, 2022, a Boeing 767, registration UK 67003, operated by Uzbekistan Airways, was performing a charter passenger flight (HY-3/332) from Jeddah to Tashkent. The flight departed Jeddah at 18:46 UTC and proceeded normally through the climb and cruise phases.
During the descent phase, while at an altitude of 7,580 feet and an indicated airspeed of 237 knots, the aircraft experienced a bird strike. The incident occurred approximately 40 km from Tashkent International Airport. Despite the impact, there were no immediate indications of malfunctions in the aircraft systems or engines. The crew continued the approach and landed safely at Tashkent at 22:56 UTC. A post-flight inspection revealed traces of a single bird and damage to the aircraft's nose radome, specifically a paint/coating failure measuring 230x200mm, which exceeded allowable structural repair manual limits.
The investigation
The investigation, commissioned by the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Uzbekistan, examined flight data, cockpit voice recordings, and maintenance logs. Investigators analyzed the aircraft's technical records, including the transition from the previous radome to a replacement part. The inspection of the aircraft's fuselage, wings, engines, and landing gear showed no other discrepancies.
Furthermore, the investigation reviewed the ornithological conditions at Tashkent International Airport. While various bird species such as starlings and pigeons are known to inhabit the area, the strike occurred outside the specific zone managed by the airport's bird control services. The investigation also noted that the crew did not report the strike to Air Traffic Control (ATC) during the flight, which was a deviation from company procedures.