The incident is the second in less than a week.
The aircraft, number 5N-MJE, belonging to ARIK airlines, which arrived Calabar from Lagos at about 8:00 a.m. had on board over 100 passengers.
A source at the airport told our correspondent that the bird strike affected the plane's landing gear, making it difficult for it to manoeuvre on the runway, minutes after it landed.
It would be recalled that a Dana Air McDonnel Douglas Aircraft (MD83 ) on April 19, lost one of its engines on takeoff due to a bird's strike at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos. The incident forced the pilot to initiate an air return.
The pilot initiated an air-return back to the airport, with Fire Service officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) providing fire cover for safe landing of the aircraft and eventual evacuation of the 97 passengers.
Experts estimate that airlines lose N15 billion to bird strikes annually.
By Muhammad Bello | Port Harcourt (23 April 2010)
Birds are usually found at low altitudes hence Jet engines are particularly vulnerable during the time of takeoff. The force of the impact normally depends on the weight of the animal and the speed difference and direction at the impact.
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