What happened
On March 24, 2016, an Air France Boeing 777-228 ER, registered F-GSPA, was operating flight AF 393 on a route from Buenos Aires (EZE) to Montevideo (MVD) and then returning to Buenos Aires. During the takeoff roll at Ezeiza International Airport (SAEZ), the flight crew observed a bird strike. The pilot in command visually identified a bird striking the right-hand engine just seconds before the aircraft reached rotation speed.
Following the event, the pilot notified Ezeiza Tower control. Because the aircraft showed no immediate signs of engine malfunction or performance degradation, the crew continued the flight to Carrasco International Airport (SUMU) in Uruguay.
The investigation
Upon arrival at Carrasco, the crew performed the necessary inspections to assess the impact. The investigation established that the bird strike had caused a perforation in one of the engine's acoustic panels. While the engine and the airframe sustained no further structural damage, the aircraft was grounded pending the arrival of a replacement part. Maintenance procedures followed by the operator's technical team were consistent with protocols established in previous similar incidents.
Findings
- The incident was caused by a bird strike involving the right engine during the takeoff phase at SAEZ.
- The impact resulted in damage to an engine acoustic panel.
- No further damage to the engine or the aircraft was identified during post-flight inspections.