Passengers of a GoAir aircraft from Delhi to Bhubaneswar with around 100 passengers had a close shave when the plane suffered a bird hit while landing at the Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) here on Thursday morning.
The pilot managed to land the aircraft safely. Sources said it could have been a major problem had the aircraft been hit by the bird at a higher altitude.
The aircraft was examined by engineers and experts to ascertain if there had been any damage due to the incident.
Data from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) showed that most bird hits are recorded during takeoffs and landings. While 38 per cent of the bird strikes recorded over the past five years took place during the final approach stage, 22 per cent were witnessed during takeoff, the data stated.
The BPIA management along with the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) authorities has been carrying out operations at regular intervals to keep the birds at bay.