What happened
On February 21, 2015, a Cessna Grand Caravan 208B, registered as C-GSGV, was engaged in specialized aerial geophysical surveys. The aircraft was part of a fleet utilized for oil and mineral exploration, as well as environmental and geological mapping. To ensure the accuracy of the onboard electronic sensors—which measure total magnetic field, radiometry, gravity, and magnetic gradients—the mission profile required the aircraft to operate at very low altitudes.
During the flight, approximately 57 nautical miles southwest of SUDU (Durazno), the aircraft encountered birds. The impact resulted in an accident that caused extensive structural damage to the left wing. The damage was severe enough to require the replacement of the upper skin, lower skin, and the leading edge of the left wing, as well as repairs to the de-icing system.
The investigation
The CIAIA investigation examined the operational requirements of the geophysical survey mission and the specific circumstances of the impact. The investigation noted that the aircraft's mission profile inherently involves flying at low altitudes to maintain the reliability of the geophysical equipment readings. This low-altitude flight pattern significantly increases the probability of bird strike encounters.