Investigation Summary
During the takeoff roll from Bahir Dar, the flight crew elected to keep engine bleed air off to maximize available thrust for the departure. As the aircraft reached rotation speed (VR), a flock of speckled pigeons rose from the left side of the runway. The captain took control and initiated rotation. Immediately after rotation, at an altitude of approximately 5,730 feet MSL (roughly 300 feet above the ground), the aircraft struck the birds at 146 knots. Both engines immediately began to surge and backfire. Despite the damage, the crew managed to climb to 7,100 feet while performing a right-hand circuit to return to the airport. However, the internal damage to the engines was catastrophic; the engines eventually lost all usable thrust. As the aircraft lost power entirely, the crew performed a belly landing in a field approximately 10 kilometers southwest of the airport. The impact forces caused the fuselage to break apart, and a post-crash fire erupted, which was responsible for the majority of the fatalities.
Final Conclusions
The official investigation concluded that the probable cause was the internal destruction and subsequent total failure of both engines following the ingestion of multiple birds during the takeoff phase. The damage was so extensive that the aircraft could not maintain sufficient flight path to return safely to the runway.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
Captain
Survived
First Officer
Survived
Systems & Failure Modes
Pratt & Whitney JT8D-17A Engines
Both engines suffered catastrophic internal damage and surging after ingesting multiple pigeons, eventually leading to total power loss.
Engine Bleed Air System
The crew elected not to use bleed air during takeoff to maximize thrust, a standard performance-enhancing procedure.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was less than one year old at the time of the accident.
- 02The speckled pigeon (Columba guinea) involved weighs between 7.7 and 13.7 ounces.
- 03All six crew members survived the accident, while 35 of the 98 passengers perished.
- 04The crew elected not to use engine bleed air during takeoff to maximize thrust, a standard procedure for the airfield's elevation.
- 05The aircraft crashed approximately 10 km (6.2 miles) southwest of the airport during the return attempt.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Bird Hazard Management
The accident highlighted the danger of speckled pigeons at African airports, leading to increased emphasis on wildlife control and habitat management near runways.