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Entebbe, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Turkish Airlines flight number 606 was today forced to return to the ground after a bird strike during take-off. The A330 however had to fly around Kampala and Entebbe for over an hour to burn fuel to achive the right weight for landing.
According to the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority, the regulator of the aviation industry in Uganda, “On Tuesday, January 10, 2023, a Turkish Airlines flight number 606 departed Entebbe at 7.30 am for Istanbul while it was raining. Unfortunately, the aircraft experienced a bird strike during take-off.”
UCAA added that, “As a precautionary measure, the flight hovered in the Ugandan airspace before landing safely at Ebb at 08:52 am. The aircraft is being checked for airworthiness before resuming the flight.”
Experts says bird strikes usually damage the forward-facing areas of the aircraft – the windscreen, nose cone, and engines. The heavier the bird is, the more potential damage there is to an aircraft.
As the plane circled the sky over Kampala, aviation enthusiast Michael Wakabi correctly observed that it was trying to burn fuel. ” Turkish 606 Entebbe to Istanbul appears to be having a problem. FR24 shows it flying a holding pattern a round Entebbe more than 40 minutes sometimes since take-off. Probably reducing weight for a return to base since the A330 doesn’t have fuel dumping capability,” he said on social media.
When the plane finally landed, an eyewitness in Entebbbe remarked, “the thing was dangerously flying close to our water tank. Had its landing gear been down, they would be able to touch the water tip. But it’s now safe on the ground. We are also safe. 😃😃”
The plane had 271 passengers and 10 crew.
This is the second time in a month that a flight from Entebbe was aborted. Reports indicate that on December 11, 2022, a Brussels Airlines flight from Entebbe was also aborted after a bird strike.
- TWITTER TIMELINE
Spotted it earlier doing numerous go arounds but it’s now been diverted back to Entebbe. #avgeeks pic.twitter.com/CNB1vV5puU
— Samuel Ssenono (@SamSenono) January 10, 2023
This makes sense now. Was wondering what's going on with planes hovering over my hood😏
— Nabusayi Lindah Wamboka (@lindahNabusayi) January 10, 2023
On Tues, Jan 10, a Turkish Airlines flight no. 606 departed Ebb at 7.30 am for Istanbul while it was raining. Unfortunately, the aircraft experienced a bird strike during take-off.
— Uganda CAA (@UgandaCAA) January 10, 2023
There is a Bird Hazard unit at the airport, which undertakes a runway sweep (scaring away of birds) prior to any take-off or landing. That is how we have managed to reduce on instances of this nature inspite of Entebbe being a bird sanctuary. For more info https://t.co/WE2rmY4UUh pic.twitter.com/kboWbYGHsU
— Uganda CAA (@UgandaCAA) January 10, 2023
It was a bird strike. They had to do holds (fly around) to burn fuel to get to landing weight. https://t.co/vRWgr3YX24
— Theo! (@theo_astar) January 10, 2023
🔴 LIVE UPDATE – Turkish Airlines flight number 606
✳️ The A330 plane that was delayed in Entebbe today, right now flying over the Mediterranean Sea. 1 hour away from landing in Istanbul
📷 @flightradar24 https://t.co/jouZZOphFG pic.twitter.com/7egJZ0pDOt
— Louis Jadwong (@Jadwong) January 10, 2023
🔴 LIVE UPDATE – THE EAGLE HAS LANDED! 🛬 👏
Turkish Airlines flight number 606 that was delayed in Entebbe today has landed safely in Instabul with 281 passengers and crew on board
📷 @flightradar24 https://t.co/jouZZOphFG pic.twitter.com/z6c9IeP38E
— Louis Jadwong (@Jadwong) January 10, 2023
This is becoming too frequent. On December 11th, a Brussels Airlines flight from Entebbe was aborted after a bird strike. The Bird Hazard unit needs to do better.
— Sarah Kasande (@skasande2) January 10, 2023
