A plane carrying five passengers in Brazil had a narrow escape after a vulture smashed through the cockpit windshield and hung lifelessly in front of the pilot for the remainder of the flight, as he attempted an emergency landing. The incident took place when the single-engine aircraft was on its way to Eirunepe from Envira in Brazil’s Amazonas on Thursday (Dec 5). Footage taken post-crash showed the scavenger bird dangling in front of the cockpit as the pilot’s vision was hampered by it.
Despite the high-intensity impact, the pilot managed to hold his own and landed the aircraft at the Eirunepe airport without any trouble. None of the passengers were injured in the incident but it left the pilot and co-pilot visibly shaken as they could be heard narrating the situation to other people on board.
The pilot blamed the rubbish dump next to the airport as the probable reason for the presence of vultures in the area which makes piloting a difficult task.
“It was a close call! This is the fault of the landfill next to the airport, which attracts an absurd amount of vultures to the area,” the pilot was quoted as saying by the NY Post.
The incident left the social media users rattled as well who reflected on the uncertainty of air travel.
“Wow! So incredible they survived,” said one user, while another added: “A vulture? DAMN! That’d give me nightmares.”
A third commented: “How unpredictable nature can be, even at 30,000 feet.”
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Previous instance
This is not the first instance when a bird has smashed through the cockpit in such a manner. In May, earlier this year, Spanish-French aerobatic pilot, Olivier Masurel, lost his life when a vulture hit his cockpit and caused the light aircraft he was flying to crash.
Mr Masurel, one of the most recognised names in the international show-flying scene, was returning after taking part in the San Javier Air Festival in the Region of Murcia. “We accompany his family and friends in this heartfelt loss, flying was his passion and this fatal accident has taken his life; fly high, dear Olivier,” read a statement by San Javier Air Show organisers.
Similarly, in 2023, Ecuadorian pilot Ariel Valiente was left bloodied when a massive bird struck through the windshield of his crop duster plane in mid-air.