A Hainan Airlines Boeing 787-9 was forced to return to Rome after a bird strike caused multiple engine surges on 10 November 2024.
Hainan airlines flight HU438, operated by the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner had conducted a departure from Rome Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino Airport (FCO). The aircraft was conducting a scheduled service to Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport (SZX).
Hainan Airlines HU438 Rome-Shenzhen
Following its departure from runway 16R Rome Fiumicino, the aircraft sustained a birdstrike during the climb. A bird, or possibly a number of birds, were ingested by the aircraft’s right-hand engine, resulting in a series of compressor stalls.
As a result, flight crew terminated the climb procedure and entered a holding pattern of the coast of Rome. During the holding procedure, the operating crew ran through checklists and then proceeded to dump fuel for a return to the origin airport.
The aircraft subsequently landed without further incident on runway 16R Rome Fiumicino, approximately one hour after its initial departure.
Video footage posted to social media, shows that the aircraft clearly sustained the series of engine compressor stalls following the birdstrike incident.
Flight Details
Flight data shows that flight HU438 had made an on-time departure of Leonardo da Vinci Rome Fiumicino Airport. Actual time of departure was logged at 0959 local time on 10 November.
After being cleared for takeoff on runway 16R, flight crew terminated the climb at 6000 feet. The holding procedure was then entered off the coast of Rome before the aircraft was returned to the origin airport.
Fuel dumping was carried out for the purpose of reducing weight to facilitate the early return landing.
The aircraft conducting the HU438 service to Shenzhen was a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner registered B-1119. This is a 6.2-year-old wide-body aircraft belonging to the carrier Hainan Airlines. It has been in operational service with the airline since its initial delivery from the factory in September 2018.
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