GACL institutes investigation into a reported birdstrike incident at KIA

A Royal Dutch Airlines (KLM) flight (KL590) bound for Amsterdam from Accra aborted takeoff  at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) on the 3rd September, 2021.

This was due to a reported bird strike incident on Runway 21 at KIA. According to a press statement from the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), “the pilot reported a bird strike close to the windshield of the aircraft” which prompted him to abort taking off.

Personnel from the Rescue and Fire Fighting Service (RFFS) of GACL acted immediately to provide emergency fire cover in order to limit the damage of the incident.

The tires of the Boeing 777-300 ER plane got deflated in the process. The aircraft had to be towed to the packing bay and passengers disembarked. Passengers on the flight were sent to hotels for the night to be re-accommodated on another flight later.

The GACL has instituted an investigation into the incident and wishes to assure the general public that, “it has a robust Wildlife Management System in place and remains committed to the highest safety standards at the airport” – the statement said.