An Indigo Airlines flight (6E1707), operating on the Chennai-Doha (Qatar) sector early on Thursday, returned to base within 25 minutes after suffering a bird-hit. The incident occurred shortly after take-off and when the aircraft was still in the climbout phase.
The flight, operated with a twin-engine Airbus A320 (VT-IEI), and with a scheduled departure time of 12:30 a.m., took off at 1:47 a.m. from the runway 25 end. While heading for the allotted track, the flight crew experienced a bird-hit at 5,500ft over the southwest area of Chennai. The plane was at a speed of about 270 knots then.
The crew then levelled off the aircraft at around 10,000ft and began descent to return to Chennai at 2:12 a.m. The jet was grounded.
The airline’s corporate communications team in Delhi said that “due to precautionary reasons, the pilot decided to return for an aircraft inspection, and in line with the recommended procedure by the manufacturer. During the process, the crew informed all passengers and that the airline arranged for an alternative aircraft.” The spokesperson added that “the bird strike was on engine one and that there were 134 passengers.”
The aircraft was later scheduled to operate on the Chennai-Hyderabad-Chennai sectors, at 9.05 p.m. on Thursday.
According to a senior airport official in Chennai, the pilot, after landing, is reported to have seen two birds. The official said that there was damage to the landing lights of the jet as well as the leading edge of a wing. He added that given the height at which the hit had occurred, the birds could have been migratory ones. As no bird remains had been found, it was difficult to identify the species.
Bird migration
In response to a query from The Hindu , Sathiyaselvam, senior scientist, Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), Mumbai, said that bird migration (ducks and geese) is known to occur at this time (at night) and in this part of the year. Some of the species found in the area where the bird-hit occurred, and where there are waterbodies, are the northern pintail , northern shoveler , garganey and common teal . They have a body weight that is between 300g to 900g. These species also fly at a height between 10,000 to 12,000 ft. All four are known to migrate from the former USSR and Kazhakstan/Eurasia to interior Tamil Nadu. He added that bar-headed geese , which fly up to 27,000 ft, also migrate from Mongolia/China/Tibet to Tamil Nadu (Tirunelveli).
Depending on their body condition, they are known to fly non-stop or break journey. The species return home in February.
He said that the BNHS had conducted a training programme to help pilots report bird species in log books. The practice, he added, appears to have been discontinued.
