What happened
On April 12, 2014, at 15:59 UTC, an Airbus A320-214, registration PR-MHA, was performing a scheduled passenger flight from Goiânia (SBGO) to São Paulo (SBGR). The aircraft was carrying 158 passengers and 6 crew members. During the takeoff roll, the aircraft experienced a multiple bird strike involving caracara birds. As the aircraft reached a speed of 130 knots, the crew detected high vibrations in the first stage of the left engine, likely caused by the ingestion of the birds. The crew executed a high-speed rejected takeoff, bringing the aircraft to a stop within the runway limits. The incident resulted in minor damage to the left engine, which required replacement, but all 164 people on board were unharmed.
The investigation
CENIPA's investigation revealed that a previous aircraft had reported a bird strike at the same airport approximately 20 minutes prior to the incident. Following that report, the airport operator initiated a runway inspection, which identified a flock of caracaras near runway 3 and taxiway D. While the tower controller was aware of a bird carcass on the runway, the investigation found that the specific danger posed by the concentration of live birds was not effectively communicated to the crew of PR-MHA.
Investigators noted that the taxi and takeoff authorizations were granted before the remains of the previous bird strike had been fully cleared. Furthermore, the crew proceeded with the takeoff despite being aware of birds on the runway, as they did not have visual contact with the flock from their position. The investigation also highlighted that the lack of standardized, quantitative communication regarding bird density between the tower and pilots hindered situational awareness.
Findings
- Communication failures between the air traffic control tower and the flight crew regarding the quantity and location of the birds.
- The presence of a dead bird carcass acted as an attractant, increasing the likelihood of further strikes by caracaras.
- Incomplete information regarding the concentration of birds near taxiway C prevented an adequate risk assessment by the crew.
- The lack of standardized criteria for quantifying bird strike risks in Brazilian regulations contributed to the decision to continue operations.