Patna: An Air India flight from Delhi to Patna carrying 164 passengers was involved in a bird strike while landing at Jay Prakash Narayan Airport on Monday morning.
The aircraft, operating as AI 1741, landed safely at 7.43am after the pilot suspected a bird strike near the right engine. Emergency landing protocols were activated as a precaution, with fire and other emergency services deployed at the airport.
All passengers remained safe.
No Damage Found To Engine
Airport officials said an inspection after landing confirmed the bird strike but found no damage to the aircraft’s engine.
The aircraft underwent the required checks and was cleared for its return flight to Delhi.
The return service, AI 1852, was carrying 160 passengers. It departed at 10.09am instead of its scheduled departure time of 8.45am, resulting in a delay of 79 minutes.
RJD MP Manoj Jha, who was scheduled to travel on the flight, opted to take the afternoon Air India service AI 2524 instead.
Second Incident Within A Week
Monday’s incident is the second bird strike involving an Air India aircraft at Patna airport within a week.
On August 17, another Air India flight operating from Delhi to Patna was hit by a bird. The aircraft was subsequently taken out of service for two days.
A team of maintenance engineers was called from Delhi to inspect and repair the aircraft. It was later cleared for operations following inspection and repairs, with approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
Bat Carcass Found On Runway
Concerns over wildlife activity around the airport have also increased after a bat weighing about 1.5kg was found dead on the runway during a routine inspection on Sunday.
Airport officials said no aircraft had reported a bird strike on the previous evening.
Monsoon Increases Bird Activity
Officials said bird activity around the airport tends to increase during the monsoon because grass grows rapidly around the runway.
Grass-cutting operations can expose insects, which in turn attract birds and increase the risk of bird strikes, officials said.
The Airports Authority of India has deployed bird chasers to keep birds away from the runway and other operational areas. The personnel use firecrackers and other methods to disperse birds.
Officials have also identified meat shops in the nearby Phulwari Sharif area as a potential factor attracting birds towards the airport.
Wildlife Hazard Management Plan
The airport operates a Wildlife Hazard Management Plan in accordance with civil aviation regulations to identify and reduce risks from birds and other wildlife.
The measures include bird-scaring devices, rodent control, grass and insect management, biological and chemical control methods, and coordination among relevant agencies.
Officials from the Airports Authority of India declined to comment on the recent increase in bird strike incidents at Patna airport. No response was available from airport director Chandra Pratap Dwivedi.
