A plane carrying five passengers in Brazil had a narrow escape when a vulture crashed through the cockpit windshield and hung lifelessly in front of the pilot for the rest of the flight as he attempted an emergency landing. The incident occurred when the single-engine plane was en route from Envira to Erunep in Amazonas, Brazil, on Thursday (December 5). Footage taken after the crash showed the scavenger bird hanging in front of the cockpit as it was obstructing the pilot’s vision.
Despite the high-intensity impact, the pilot managed to control himself and landed the aircraft at Erunipe Airport without any issues. No passengers were injured in the incident, but it left the pilot and co-pilot shaken as they could be heard explaining the situation to others on board.
The pilot cited the presence of vultures in the area as a possible reason for the garbage heap next to the airport, which has made flying difficult.
The pilot was quoted as saying, “It was a close call! It’s the fault of the landfill next to the airport, which attracts large numbers of vultures to the area.” NY Post.
The incident also upset social media users, who reflected on the uncertainty of air travel.
“Wow! How incredible they survived,” one user said, while another said: “A vulture? Damn it! It’ll give me nightmares.”
A third commented: “How unpredictable nature can be even at 30,000 feet.”
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previous example
This is not the first case when a bird has hit the cockpit in this manner. Earlier in May this year, Spanish-French aerobatic pilot, Olivier Masurell, lost his life when a vulture struck his cockpit and the light aircraft he was flying crashed.
Mr Masurell, one of the most recognized names on the international show-flying scene, was returning after attending the San Javier Air Festival in the Murcia region. A statement from organizers of the San Javier Air Show said, “We are with his family and friends in this heartfelt loss, flying was his passion and this fatal accident took his life; fly high, dear Olivier. “
Similarly, in 2023, Ecuadorian pilot Ariel Valiant bled to death when a giant bird hit the windshield of his crop duster plane in mid-air.
