Emergency landing after bird strike Boeing 737-4B6, Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, Emergency landing after bird strike Emergency landing after bird 6 June 2010 The Dutch Safety Board telephone +31(0)70 333 70 00 • e-mail [email protected] • website www.safetyboard.nl visiting address Anna van Saksenlaan 50 • 2593 HT The Hague postal address PO Box 95404 • 2509 CK The Hague • The Netherlands Emergency landing after bird strike Boeing 737-4B6, Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, 6 June 2010 The Hague, November 2011 (project number 2010034) The Dutch Safety Board’s reports are in the public domain. All reports are also available through The Dutch Safety Board’s website: www.safetyboard.nl THE DUTCH SAFETY BOARD The aim in the Netherlands is to reduce the risk of accidents and incidents as much as possible. If accidents or near-accidents nevertheless occur, a thorough investigation into the causes of the problem, irrespective of who is to blame for it, may help to prevent similar problems from occurring in the future. It is important to ensure that the investigation is carried out independently from the parties involved. This is why the Dutch Safety Board itself selects the issues it wishes to investigate, mindful of citizens’ position of dependence with respect to public authorities and businesses. Dutch Safety Board Guidance committee Chairman: T.H.J. Joustra Chairman: F.J.H. Mertens A. Brouwer-Korf A.H. Brouwer-Korf F.J.H. Mertens E.J. Burmeister J.P. Visser J. Marijnen E.R. Muller J.A. Mulder H. Munniks de Jongh Luchsinger J.G.W. van Ruitenbeek General secretary: M. Visser Project Manager: K.E. Beumkes Visiting address: Anna van Saksenlaan 50 Correspondence PO Box 95404 2593 HT The Hague, address: 2509 CK The Hague The Netherlands Telephone: +31 (0)70 333 7000 Fax: +31 (0)70 333 7077 Internet: www.safetyboard.nl This report is published in Dutch and English. In the event of any difference in interpretation the Dutch text must be regarded as binding. 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Consideration ...................................................................................................................5 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS .................................................................................................9 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................. 11 1.1 Grounds ..............................................................................................................11 1.2 The investigation ..................................................................................................11 1.3 Reading guide ......................................................................................................12 2. Factual information .................................................................................................. 13 2.1 Introduction .........................................................................................................13 2.2 Important terms and concepts ...............................................................................13 2.3 History of the flight ...............................................................................................16 2.4 Injuries to persons ................................................................................................21 2.5 Damage to the aircraft ..........................................................................................21 2.6 Other damage ......................................................................................................21 2.7 Personnel information ...........................................................................................22 2.8 Aircraft information...............................................................................................23 2.9 Meteorological information .....................................................................................23 2.10 Aids to navigation .................................................................................................23 2.11 Communications ...................................................................................................24 2.12 Aerodrome information .........................................................................................24 2.13 Flight recorders ....................................................................................................25 2.14 Medical and pathological information .......................................................................26 2.15 Fire .....................................................................................................................26 2.16 Survival aspects ...................................................................................................26 2.17 Tests and research ...............................................................................................26 2.18 Organizational and management information ...........................................................27 2.19 Additional information ..........................................................................................28 3. Parties and their responsibilities .............................................................................. 30 3.1 Crew flight RAM685R ............................................................................................30 3.2 Atlas Blue ............................................................................................................30 3.3 Royal Air Maroc ....................................................................................................30 3.4 Ministry of Transport (Morocco) ..............................................................................31 3.5 Boeing ................................................................................................................31 3.6 CFM International .................................................................................................31 3.7 Federal Aviation Administration .............................................................................31 3.8 European Aviation Safety Agency ...........................................................................31 3.9 Amsterdam Airport Schiphol ..................................................................................32 3.10 Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment ........................................................32 3.11 Air Traffic Control the Netherlands ..........................................................................33 3.12 Noord-Holland Fauna Management Unit ...................................................................33 3.13 Fauna fund ..........................................................................................................34 3.14 Municipality of Haarlemmermeer ............................................................................34 3.15 Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation ............................................34 3.16 Provincial government of Noord-Holland ..................................................................35 3.17 Game Management Unit ........................................................................................35 3.18 Aircraft Bird Strike Committee ..............................................................................36 3.19 Landscape Noord-Holland ......................................................................................36 3.20 Federation of Agriculture and Horticulture Noord ......................................................37 3.21 Society for the Preservation of Nature .....................................................................37 3.22 Dutch Bird Strike Control group ..............................................................................37 3.23 Schiphol Goose Roundtable ....................................................................................37 3.24 Schiphol Safety Platform and Schiphol Bird Strike Committee ....................................38 3.25 The Netherlands Society for the Protection of Birds...................................................38 3 4. Analysis .................................................................................................................... 39 4.1 Introduction .........................................................................................................39 4.2 Flight operation ....................................................................................................39 4.3 Engines ...............................................................................................................46 4.4 Aircraft bird deterring systems ...............................................................................47 4.5 Investigation of follow-up to recommendation by the Parliamentary Board of Inquiry ....48 4.6 Flying low over a built-up area in an emergency situation ..........................................52 4.7 Bird control at and around Schiphol airport .............................................................54 4.8 Measures taken after the serious incident ...............................................................60 5. Conclusions .............................................................................................................. 62 6. Recommendations .................................................................................................... 64 APPENDIX A: INVESTIGATION EXPLANATION ..............................................................