Pilot hailed hero after birds force emergency landing
Airport staff with the crippled plane surrounded by firefighting foam on the tarmac at Rome's Ciampino airport
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Tuesday November 11 2008
HUNDREDS of passengers on board a Ryanair flight from Frankfurt to Rome had a lucky escape yesterday after a flock of birds flew into the aircraft's engines, forcing it to make an emergency landing.
Eight passengers and two crew members were taken to hospital for minor injuries after a flock of starlings hit the Boeing 737 shortly before 8am yesterday at Rome's Ciampino airport, about 15km south east of the Italian capital.
The pilot was hailed as a hero after bringing the aircraft, carrying 166 passengers and six crew members, in to land safely after the bird strike.
Passengers on board spoke of hearing a loud bang and the plane shaking violently as it approached the airport from Frankfurt, with some reporting seeing streaks of blood and feathers along one side of the plane.
"The pilot was a real hero. There was a real panic on board and people were screaming," passenger Gugliemo Albertini said. "I saw flames from one engine. When we evacuated they said it was a bird strike and I saw blood and feathers along the fuselage. When we landed it was a bit bumpy but the pilot did fantastically well and kept control of the plane.''
Fellow passenger Gaetano De Caro added: "We were just coming in to land and then all of a sudden there was a bang and a smell of burning. Everyone was absolutely terrified and we slammed down on the landing but the pilot without doubt saved all our lives. I can't thank him enough. If it was someone else maybe we wouldn't have made it but the pilot and the whole crew were fantastic.''
Flight FR4102 came to a stop with one of its engines resting on the runway tarmac and passengers were forced to disembark via escape chutes.
Its nose cone and wings were clearly streaked with blood and fire services sprayed fire retardant material around the plane as a precaution.
Starlings
Flight investigators are today examining the black box data recorder as part of the probe, with the Italian Flight Safety Agency (ANSV) last night saying the plane had been hit by a large flock of starlings.
Officials added that birdstrikes were common at airports across the world and in Italy there were on average around 600 a year. Yesterday's, it said, was one of the most serious involving a civilian jet. The Italian Airforce has lost three planes as a result of bird strikes since 1998.
The left hand main landing gear was damaged on landing, which led to delays in removing the aircraft from the runway which resulted in the airport being closed for much of yesterday.
A spokesperson for ENAC, the Italian Civil Aviation Authority, said last night that bird strikes were common at the airport, with 18 last year alone. However none were sufficiently severe to force an aircraft to make an emergency landing, a spokeswoman said.
In a statement, Ryanair said the flight left Frankfurt at 6.30am and suffered multiple bird strikes which caused engine problems as it prepared to land. It apologised to passengers affected by the disruption.
Yesterday's incident is the second emergency landing by a Ryanair plane in less than three months. In August, a flight carrying 168 passengers lost cabin pressure over France, forcing an emergency descent to Limoges international airport.
- Paul Melia and Nick Pisa in Rome
