What happened
During the takeoff phase at Baldonnel-Casement Airbase, an aircraft intended for scheduled maintenance in the United Kingdom encountered a flock of birds. The collision occurred while the plane was still in its takeoff roll. In response to the impact, the pilot immediately aborted the takeoff and implemented emergency braking measures.
Despite the rapid application of brakes, the aircraft could not be halted within the available runway length. This resulted in the airplane overrunning the paved surface and coming to a stop beyond the threshold. While the incident caused significant damage to the airframe, all three crew members on board were able to evacuate the wreckage without sustaining any injuries.
Findings
The investigation determined that the primary factor leading to the runway excursion was the mid-air collision with birds during the initial acceleration phase of the takeoff.