What happened
On January 1, 2025, at approximately 09:00 UTC, a Boeing 737-800, registration LV-KHO, was performing a scheduled commercial passenger flight from Ministro Pistarini International Airport (Ezeiza) to Ushuaia. During the takeoff roll, the flight crew aborted the maneuver after perceiving a potential bird strike against the aircraft.
Following the aborted takeoff, the aircraft came to a stop at position 53 of the airport. Maintenance personnel from the operator conducted a thorough inspection of the airframe in accordance with established maintenance manuals. Simultaneously, airport authorities performed a runway sweep to search for biological remains or debris. Neither the maintenance inspection nor the runway patrol identified any physical evidence of a collision or bird remains.
The investigation
The investigation was conducted as a desk investigation by the Argentine Transportation Safety Board (JST). Investigators reviewed all available documentation and maintenance records related to the event. The inquiry focused on determining whether a physical impact had occurred and evaluating the subsequent inspection procedures.
Findings
- The inspection of the aircraft revealed no damage to the airframe.
- No bird remains or debris were found on the runway by airport personnel.
- The investigation could not confirm that a physical impact actually took place.
- The lack of physical evidence and visible damage suggests the event was likely a visual sighting of a bird rather than an actual strike.