Air France jet suffers "cow-strike"

B744skipper · Post by **B744skipper** » 06 Jul 2005, 16:28

An Air France Airbus A330 crashed into a group of cows during landing at Port Harcour, Nigeria. No-one was hurt in the incident according to an airport-official.
Apparently six cows were sleeping on the runway, when the aircraft landed and crashed into them. Reports speak of the cows not having survived the accident. The right main landing gear was damaged but aircraft was able to taxi to ramp. The aircraft involved in the incident is F-GZCF (c/n 481). Scheduled arrival is at 0435, so it was probably still dark. Tomorrow AF will send a 777-200 to pick up the pax.

http://www.aerospacemedia.com/AFP/previ ... 4iunkf.xml

Avro · Post by **Avro** » 06 Jul 2005, 17:23

Simply amazing 8O

Thanks for sharing the story with us.

Chris

earthman · Post by **earthman** » 06 Jul 2005, 19:51

Did they hold a free barbeque?

regi · Post by **regi** » 06 Jul 2005, 22:53

I remember the runway at Mae Hong Song some years ago. It is the runway made famous in the movie with Mell Gibson , during the Vietnam war. Air America.
When an airplane is coming, an old guy assembles some stones and throws it to the dogs and cows. Cars and motobikes which drive on the laterite road crossing the runway have to stop some minutes or make the detour. Most just wait untill the airplane has landed and has done its turnaround.
If you see it the first time, it is pretty amazing.
Just to say that this cow accident doesn't surprise me that much . It just depends on the amount of stones of the cow chaser. All laughing please.

Advisor · Post by **Advisor** » 07 Jul 2005, 07:00

thank god, it did not happen in India

vivek0072 · Post by **vivek0072** » 07 Jul 2005, 07:22

Holy Cow,

Looks like it time to install cow catchers like the one on trains along with anti missile system on the A380.

By the way any idea any idea what happened to the poor cow ?

earthman · Post by **earthman** » 07 Jul 2005, 08:01

Would you even be allowed to chase cows off the runway in India?

Advisor · Post by **Advisor** » 07 Jul 2005, 09:47

earthman wrote:Would you even be allowed to chase cows off the runway in India?

Yes, only to rever them later

But Earthman you would not be surprised to learn that in India, especially Bihar there are many airstrips, which are being used by many local people as grazing farm lands for their cattle (the grass next to the runway) : 8)

I am sure that Hon. Fons surely will have a story to tell from the time he flew into India

And yes i too share Viveks concern

What happened to the cow

The main landing gear was damaged so did she .......

sab319 · Post by **sab319** » 07 Jul 2005, 10:28

ouch, poor cow...

LX-LGX · Post by **LX-LGX** » 07 Jul 2005, 13:40

Think it's about time airports in Africa do visual runway checks.

earthman · Post by **earthman** » 07 Jul 2005, 14:16

They could at least shine a searchlight over the runway before allowing a plane to land there. (Or use thermal imaging systems, but those are expensive.) Nobody saw the cows because it was dark.

MrAirbus · Post by **MrAirbus** » 07 Jul 2005, 14:28

They should test the aircraft for MAD-COW disease! he he

B744skipper · Post by **B744skipper** » 07 Jul 2005, 17:44

Unfortunately, six cows have been killed in the incident.

More info here

http://aviation-safety.net/news/newsitem.php?id=1468

Fiela · Post by **Fiela** » 07 Jul 2005, 18:50

Here in South Africa in a town called Phalaborwa, it is often that lions and maybe even warthogs are found on the runway. Once I heard a story of some lions on the runway, that just didn't want to leave. The planes coming in had to circle untill the lions were chased off.

Post by **luchtzak** » 07 Jul 2005, 21:45

Poor cows

https://www.aviation24.be/article9240.html

SN30952 · Post by **SN30952** » 08 Jul 2005, 04:14

Advisor wrote:I am sure that Hon. Fons surely will have a story to tell from the time he flew into India

No not so much stories about landings in India, Sir, except for one bumpy ride into Dum Dum on Panam.
But what I can tell is that a colleague of mine was on board of the aircraft that hit hyenas in Nairobi. And btw in about the same year, an other colleague was on board of LH540, 20 November 1974.

A couple of years later, myself on final, near Lake Turkana, aka Rudolph, we encountered heavy bird strike, huge migrating birds, and almost crashed near the lake, as the windshield at a given moment was too 'red' to see trough, fortunately the wind helped to improve visibility in last hundred or so meters.

In that same period, I got attacked, while driving a Toyota Hiace home, by a hippo cow. I drove back into the compound near Lake Vic after sundown. When approaching the house, I saw a hippo calf in the lights of the minibus: I had to decide whether to pass left or right. I choose the wrong side, because I came between the calf and its mother, making her to charge my vehicle: the big, and surprisingly quick, animal hit the van at right back side, kicking it 90 degrees direction the lake. Luckily giving me some acceleration, so I could escape.
(A few days later I heard about a huge BBQ, the house staff and security guards were invited, and the cook told me we would not have to worry about the hippo no longer in the compound....)

JDarby · Post by **JDarby** » 08 Jul 2005, 05:05

Whenever I hear stories about runway accidents, I wonder if any occurred on the golf course on the BKK taxiway

earthman · Post by **earthman** » 08 Jul 2005, 10:14

Stupid lions, they should have come AFTER the plane landed.

regi · Post by **regi** » 08 Jul 2005, 11:48

The golf course at BKK! Aha, very well known. The first time you arrive at BKK and you see golfers swinging clubs just some meters away from the jet engines, you start to think...
Some weeks ago, I spoke a member of this club.
She is no military but as a state official she has special grants. There are specific guidelines for the players and they get a kind of training. They have to follow very strict rules. No ball collecting , no lane passing, things like that.
Because it is a military run club, the members and guests are screened automatically.
She told me that you get used to the noise. But the hot and smelly fumes from the engines seem to put her off.
But the free membership was an advantage.

L-1011 · Post by **L-1011** » 08 Jul 2005, 13:40

I saw a small article in the belgian free METRO newspaper in the train this morning http://www.freemetro.be
They were talking about only one cow, and minor to no damage to the plane. Nevettheless the passengers were all evacuated. They did not mention that it was a night landing , which made me wonder why the pilot didn't see the cow

What's the next animal to be struck by a plane ?

ciao,
TriStar

Aviation24.be

Air France jet suffers "cow-strike"

Air France jet suffers "cow-strike"

Animals....