Bird strikes are a serious challenge for aviation

One month after the deadly crash at Muan airport a preliminary report has revealed blood and feathers were found in both engines. The remains of the migratory Baikal teal, a Siberian duck, provide evidence that a bird strike happened during those fatal final minutes.

Unfortunately, it is still unclear at this stage how much the bird strike contributed to the eventual crash of the Jeju Air flight on Dec. 29, 2024. However, the bird strike has become a focal point of the investigation, throwing into question the seriousness of bird strikes to aviation worldwide.

According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), there were more than 270,000 reports of wildlife strikes to aircraft between 2016 and 2021. Only 3% of these incidents reported some form of damage to parts of the aircraft. The United States-based Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) also tracks reports of wildlife strikes and similarly shows over 90% of incidents had no damage to the aircraft.

Reports from both the ICAO and FAA also revealed a general pattern for when most incidents occur — during take-off or landing procedures, when birds are more likely present at those lower altitudes.

The most serious incidents since 1912

Avisure, an international aviation risk consultancy firm based in Australia, independently compiled all incidents that involved wildlife strikes which resulted in fatalities, destroyed aircraft or both.

The database starts with the first reported incident on April 3, 1912, when Calbraith Perry Rodgers, who was piloting a Wright Flyer, flew into a flock of seagulls over Long Beach, California, killing him.

There were more than a dozen military incidents after this one until the next civilian accident on April 30, 1953 where one person died and 22 survived.

Wildlife strikes that resulted in human fatalities and/or completely destroyed aircrafts on civil flights since 1953

Phil Shaw, founder and managing director of Avisure, said that while the data shows that larger civilian planes tend to escape with minimal or no fatalities after a bird strike this is mostly due to fortunate circumstances.

For example, the Hudson river incident that took place on Jan. 15, 2009 could have resulted in a large number of fatalities if not for the quick thinking of the pilot and the suitable river nearby. Similarly, a Ural Airlines flight carrying 233 people could have ended tragically if not for the corn field that provided a suitable area for the emergency landing.

Where they strike matters

While the number and size of the birds can escalate the potential impact to an aircraft, it also makes a difference where the birds impact the aircraft.

According to ICAO reports, most strikes happen at the front of the plane and to the wings, engine or propeller. However, while most planes can stabilise themselves with just one engine in the case of a strike, if both engines are affected this can greatly increase the severity of the outcome to the aircraft or humans on board.

Types of birds and wildlife

A wide variety of species have been reported to have collided with aircraft. However, the vast majority are birds and this can more seriously impact airports at coastal areas, near wetlands or along migratory paths, like the Muan airport.

Common birds at Muan Airport

The airport at Muan is located in a coastal area and near wetlands which provides a suitable environment for birds to nest. A government report revealed that this area was home to both resident birds such as Black-billed Magpie and Tree Sparrow, and migratory birds like the Mallard and Gray Heron.

Most common

Worldwide, the most common types of birds which are involved in strikes fall in the categories of hawks, eagles and vultures. Perching birds, such as European starlings, and shore birds, such as Gulls or Killdeer make up for 45% of reported incidents.

Other types of birds

Other birds, which make up 22% of reported incidents to the ICAO, include a wide-range of types including owls, hummingbirds and even parrots.

Mammals and reptiles

Among the most unusual category of incidents are those involving mammals and reptiles.

One incident in 2004 involved a giraffe at Santawani airstrip in Botswana. It collided with a Cessna 172, destroying the plane and killing the animal too. Even wallabies, alligators and turtles have been reported to strike aircraft.

Anti-bird strike and wildlife measures

The Muan airport uses traditional measures such as guns, air cannons and loudspeakers to scare away birds. Beyond these traditional measures, however, experts said a lot of the work begins well before an airport is even established. Appropriate surveying and assessments of the area around the airport are needed to identify possible bird nesting areas, as well as maintenance of the drainage and vegetation surrounding it.

Experts said there is a lack of training in the wider aviation industry when it comes to what to do in the event of a bird strike. It is rare to have simulated trainings for both pilots and air traffic control personnel. Another measure that could help would be overall improvements to sensors and communication tools that could provide alerts at critical moments.