Kazakhstan’s FlyArystan Aircraft Collides with Bird Flock but Lands Safely

A FlyArystan FS 7366 aircraft, flying from Uralsk to Astana, collided with a flock of birds shortly after takeoff on January 26.

In a statement, Air Astana group of companies said that the aircraft continued the flight and safely landed at the airport in Astana due to the absence of system and engine malfunctions, The Caspian Post reports, citing Kazakh media.

The aircraft suffered extensive damage to compressor blades in the left engine and its fuselage as well as bird remains were found in the plane's engine. ‘The samples will be sent for a DNA analysis to identify bird species to prevent such collisions.

Air Astana group of companies stressed the importance of minimizing the risks of collisions with birds, posing a threat to aviation safety, referring to the recent aircraft crashes involving other airlines. In this regard, Air Astana actively cooperates with world experts to enhance its wildlife hazards management at airports across Kazakhstan.

In 2024, Kazakhstan’s bird strike rate stood at 203 per aircraft movements, up 30% on-year, significantly exceeding the world average, according to the IATA.

Earlier it was reported that the preliminary results of the investigation into the Azerbaijani Airlines plane crash will be revealed this week.