The management of Osubi Airport in Warrri, Delta state, has disputed Air Peace’s claim that one of its aircraft suffered a bird strike upon landing at the facility, saying that the incident did not happen at the airport.
The airport’s response follows a statement issued by Air Peace on June 5, in which the airline said its Lagos-Osubi flight experienced a bird strike while landing at the airport in Warri.
Air Peace said the aircraft was subsequently subjected to safety and technical assessments, with preliminary inspections indicating the need for further checks on the landing gear.
The airline added that the incident led to the cancellation of the scheduled return flight from Osubi to Lagos.
However, Winston Egwuatu, manager of Osubi airstrip, rejected the claim, noting that the airport had recorded nearly two years without a bird strike incident.
“In any case, and for your information, Osubi Airport just recently celebrated almost two years of zero bird strikes in the airport. It is a major milestone in airport operations nationwide,” Egwuatu said.
“On this alleged report, I like to strongly refute and to say that preliminary investigation by the airport has revealed the said strike did not happen at Osubi Airport. We believe that the operating aircraft picked the bird from the departing airport.”
He said Air Peace flight 5N-CEF, an Embraer E-195 aircraft, reported evidence of a bird strike during post-landing inspection.
‘PILOT PICKED BIRD ELSEWHERE, NOT WITHIN OSUBI AIRPORT’
According to the airstrip manager, the pilot informed airport officials that he heard a sound about 200 metres while approaching Osubi airport, although the incident/bird strike information system (IBIS) report reportedly placed the occurrence at about 50 feet above the runway threshold.
“The pilot never reported hearing sounds on approach to Air Traffic Control, neither has he reported any bird strike to ATC until now,” Egwuatu said.
He said wildlife hazard control officers carried out inspections before and after the aircraft’s arrival, but found no evidence of bird activity around the runway.
“It is possible that the pilot picked the bird 200 metres, as he told us before the station manager and head of operations, or elsewhere, but not within Osubi Aerodrome,” he said.
Egwuatu also dismissed reports that Air Peace had suspended operations to the airport, saying no such notification had been received from the airline.
The airstrip manager said the aircraft involved in the incident had departed safely at about 2:50 pm. Thecable
