Approach to Salzburg

Emergency: Lufthansa plane hit by a flock of birds

A Lufthansa plane approaching Salzburg had to turn around and land in Munich.

(Bild: REUTERS)

A flight from Frankfurt to Salzburg ended with a scare for the crew and passengers and at the wrong destination. The reason: the Lufthansa Airbus collided with a flock of birds, had to turn off shortly before Salzburg and land in Munich.

Passengers on Lufthansa flight LH1108 from Frankfurt to Salzburg experienced an unparalleled moment of shock last Saturday evening. An Airbus A319 (registration D-AIBA) collided with a flock of birds during the final phase of the approach to Salzburg Airport shortly after 11 p.m., reports the aviation portal Austrian Wings.

The impact was so violent that the speed display in the cockpit failed. According to the report, the pilots also reported that the on-board electrical system had also failed as a result of the bird strike.

Safe landing in Munich
The crew was forced to abort the landing and return to an altitude of 10,000 feet (just over 3,000 meters). The pilots actually wanted to head for Linz Airport, but it was already closed. They eventually turned around and headed for Munich.

The Airbus 319 had to fly a holding pattern before touching down at Munich Airport. In the meantime, emergency services such as the airport fire department had made themselves ready. At 0.24 a.m., about an hour after the bird strike, all passengers were safely on Bavarian soil instead of at their destination airport in Salzburg.