Emergency landing at BER: Easyjet plane returns safely after bird strike!

Emergency landing at BER: Easyjet plane returns safely after bird strike!

On July 2nd, an unusual incident occurred at Berlin-Brandenburg Airport (BER). An Easyjet plane with 141 passengers on board en route to Edinburgh in Scotland had to turn back after a bird strike. What had happened? Shortly after takeoff at 6:02 p.m., at an altitude of several hundred meters, the aircraft collided with a bird, resulting in damage to an engine unit. The pilots reacted professionally and decided to return to Berlin immediately. Eleven minutes later, at 6:13 p.m., the alarm was raised and the plane landed safely back at the airport at 6:35 p.m [maz-online.de].

The airport fire department and numerous surrounding fire departments, including from Eichwalde and Schulzendorf, were quickly on site. Fortunately, there was never any acute danger to the inmates. All 141 people emerged uninjured. Nevertheless, the question remains open as to the extent of the damage to the aircraft, as this was not further specified in the initial reports.

The flight and his return

The original departure was scheduled for 5:40 p.m., but the actual takeoff was delayed to 6:02 p.m. The pilots' decision to land again was made immediately after the bird strike was detected. In comparison to other flight incidents, such as that of Alaska Airlines in October 2024, where a bird strike also led to a return, it is clear that such events occur again and again in aviation. Bird strikes pose a serious danger, especially during take-off and landing, as [moz.de](https://www.moz.de/lokales/koenigs-wusterhausen/notlandung-am-flughafen-ber-easyjet- Flugzeug-nach-vogelschlag-in-turbulenzen-78161305.html) explains.

In this specific case, the aircraft type was an Airbus A319, and the incident attracted many eyes and ears that gathered around the airport in Schönefeld. The fire brigade was quickly deployed, but fortunately the operation was quickly aborted.

Bird strikes – a constant risk

Bird strikes are a common problem in aviation. Data from the Federal Aviation Administration shows that numerous bird strike incidents occur around the world - many of which fortunately do not involve any injuries, but they can still cause structural damage to the aircraft. The FAA alone has identified more than 790 species of wildlife associated with aircraft between 1990 and 2023, including a variety of bird species, as aviation.direct notes. It is essential for airlines and airports to take appropriate measures to reduce risks and to train their pilots accordingly so that they can react quickly in an emergency.

Overall, it remains to be hoped that the passengers on the Easyjet aircraft will soon be able to take the desired flight to Scotland and that safety in aviation will continue to be a top priority in the future.