B738, Rome Ciampino Italy, 2008

B738, Rome Ciampino Italy, 2008

Summary

On 10 November 2008, a Boeing 737-800 about to land at Rome Ciampino Airport flew through a large and dense flock of starlings, which appeared from below the aircraft. After the crew had made an unsuccessful attempt to go around, they lost control due to malfunction of both engines when full thrust was applied and a very hard impact half way along the runway caused substantial damage to the aircraft. The Investigation concluded that the Captain's decision to attempt a go around after the encounter was inappropriate and that bird risk management measures at the airport had been inadequate.

Description

On 10 November 2008, a Boeing 737-800 (EI-DYG) being operated by Ryanair on a scheduled passenger flight from Frankfurt Hahn to Rome Ciampino as FR4102 flew through a dense flock of birds shortly before landing off an ILS approach to Ciampino’s runway 15 in day VMC. Multiple bird strikes occurred. After loss of engine thrust coincident with an attempt to commence a go around, the aircraft made a sufficiently hard impact with the runway to cause the left main landing gear leg to detach. The aircraft stopped just before reaching the end of the runway and although no emergency evacuation was ordered, the airport fire service discharged foam as a precautionary measure prior to passenger disembarkation using a set of external steps and one of the emergency slides. The runway impact caused minor injuries to 8 of the 172 occupants and substantial damage to the aircraft structure and both its engines.

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