What happened
On August 24, 2024, at 11:17 UTC, a commercial flight operated by FB Líneas Aéreas S.A. was performing a regular scheduled service from Ministro Pistarini International Airport (Ezeiza) to El Calafate. Shortly after departing from runway 11, the Boeing 737-8U3, registered LV-KEF, encountered a bird during its initial climb phase at an altitude of approximately 600 feet.
Following the impact, the flight crew maintained the flight profile and continued the journey to the destination. Upon arrival at El Calafate, a post-flight inspection was conducted, which revealed minor damage to the aircraft's radome. Due to the identified damage, the crew elected to cancel the scheduled return leg of the flight.
The investigation
The preliminary investigation focused on the circumstances surrounding the strike during the ascent phase. The JST examined the flight path, the altitude at which the encounter occurred, and the subsequent operational decisions made by the crew. The inspection of the aircraft's nose cone was central to determining the extent of the impact and the structural integrity of the radome.