What happened
On January 8, 2015, at 10:00 UTC, an Airbus A320-212, registration 9Q-CAT, was preparing for departure from Bangboka Airport in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The aircraft, operated by Compagnie Africaine d'Aviation (CAA), was performing flight REB 441, scheduled to fly from Kisangani to Goma following a technical stop.
After receiving takeoff clearance for runway 13, the aircraft accelerated down the runway. Upon reaching rotation speed, the crew heard an unusual noise originating from the number one engine. The flight crew immediately notified air traffic control of the incident and requested an emergency return to the departure airport. The aircraft continued its climb to 4,000 feet before initiating an emergency descent. Approximately 15 minutes after the initial takeoff attempt, the aircraft landed safely back at Kisangani. There were no fatalities or injuries among the 113 passengers and 2 crew members on board.
The investigation
The technical investigation focused on the damage sustained by the aircraft's propulsion system. Investigators examined the number one engine and discovered that the bird strike had caused physical damage to the engine's intake components. Specifically, 25 out of 36 vanes on the engine's inlet guide vane ring were damaged, and several cuts were found along the anti-noise sheet and around the inlet guide vane ring. Bird feathers were also recovered from behind the stator vanes.
Findings
- The primary cause of the incident was an environmental factor involving bird presence on the runway during takeoff.
- The investigation established that the airport lacks effective bird dispersal or wildlife control measures.
- The proximity of the airport to areas that may attract birds contributed to the risk of bird strikes.
- The flight crew followed established emergency procedures, successfully managing the return to the airport.