What happened
On the morning of 3 January 2022, a Jetstream 41, registration ZS-NRJ, was conducting a scheduled commercial flight from O.R. Tambo International Airport to Venetia Mine Airfield in Limpopo province. The aircraft was carrying three crew members and four passengers under instrument flight rules.
As the aircraft was completing its landing roll on Runway 08 at a ground speed of approximately 43 knots, a large Kori Bustard (weighing roughly 18kg) emerged from overgrown grass on the right side of the runway. The bird flew into the right-side engine propeller. The impact caused a propeller blade to fracture and separate, with fragments penetrating the aircraft fuselage in the passenger cabin. The pilot reported an abnormal increase in exhaust gas temperature and an engine over-temperature indication. The crew successfully followed shutdown procedures and brought the aircraft to a halt. There were no injuries to the seven people on board, though the aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the circumstances of the strike and the operational environment at the airfield. The investigation established that the mass of the bird involved was significantly higher than the aircraft's certification limits; the 18kg bird exceeded the propeller's design capability by at least five times. The investigation also looked into the airfield's wildlife management practices and the physical state of the aerodrome surroundings.
Findings
- The bird strike on the propeller blade caused the overload fracture and subsequent failure of the blade.
- The airfield is bordered by dense forest, and the separation between the runway and the wildlife habitat is compromised by poorly maintained fencing.
- Security gates at the airfield were occasionally left open and unattended, allowing animals to access the runway area.
- The airfield is managed by a single individual, which limits the ability to effectively monitor and deter wildlife during flight operations.
- There was a lack of sufficient trained personnel to manage wildlife hazards during take-offs and landings.
- The bird carcass was not preserved for analysis, which was a deviation from required airfield procedures.
Safety action
To mitigate the risk of future occurrences, the investigation proposed that additional trained staff be deployed during aircraft operations to monitor and deter wildlife. Furthermore, it was recommended that a 'mock runway'—a cleared patch of grass—be established to provide an alternative foraging area for birds, effectively drawing them away from the active runway.