What happened
During the takeoff roll of commercial flight TP904, operated by Avian and destined for Lima, Peru, an Airbus 320-233 (registration N496TA) struck several birds. The aircraft was carrying 149 passengers and 6 crew members at the time of the occurrence. The impact caused damage to the first-stage fan of the right engine and an impact to the fuselage located in front of and below the left pilot's window. Following the strike, the aircraft returned to Carrasco International Airport and landed while overweight, with a gross weight of 72.5 T against a maximum landing weight of 66 T.
The investigation
The CIAIA examined the damage to both the engine and the airframe. While the initial assessment of the fuselage damage suggested it might exceed allowable limits, a subsequent inspection and evaluation by the manufacturer, Airbus, authorized the aircraft to return to its base for permanent repairs. Regarding the engine, the damaged fan blades were replaced, and following visual inspections, the engine was cleared for continued operation. The investigation also reviewed the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) data, which recorded a vertical acceleration of 1.36 g during landing; this value was determined to be within limits that did not necessitate further structural inspections.
Findings
- The primary cause of the event was a bird strike during the takeoff phase.
- The impact resulted in damage to the right engine's first-stage fan and the aircraft fuselage.
- The aircraft landed at Carrasco International Airport exceeding its maximum landing weight.