What happened
On the scheduled flight from Addis Ababa to Bahar Dar and Asmara, an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737-200 experienced a catastrophic sequence of events during its takeoff roll. After passing V1 speed and approaching rotation speed, the crew observed a group of pigeons ascending near the left side of the aircraft. The captain took control and rotated the plane, but immediately after liftoff at an altitude of 5,730 feet, the aircraft struck the birds.
Following the impact, the engines began backfiring at approximately 100 to 200 feet above the ground. The crew reported a significant loss of power, prompting the captain to apply maximum thrust. Although the aircraft initially regained some altitude and climbed to 6,020 feet, the engines continued to experience surges, with fluctuating engine pressure ratios and extreme exhaust gas temperatures.
In an attempt to preserve the engines, the captain reduced thrust, which temporarily stabilized the surges. The flight crew initiated a right turn to avoid Lake Tana and attempted to return to the departure runway. As the aircraft climbed through 7,100 feet during its downwind leg, both engines suffered a complete loss of power within five seconds. The pilot attempted an emergency gear-up landing in a cleared area, but the Boeing 737-200 broke apart upon impact and caught fire. Of the 104 people on board, 35 fatalities were recorded.
Findings
The investigation concluded that the primary cause of the accident was the ingestion of multiple birds into both engines during the takeoff phase. This ingestion led to internal engine destruction and subsequent total power loss, making a safe return to the runway impossible.