lix blog

SWR14E is holding over GIPOL for fuel dump after bird strike on takeoff rwy 16 (cleared VEBIT 3 SIERRA).

During liftoff the A330 had a bird strike with some bigger bird (probably a heron), which was only reported on LSZH DEP frequency (125.950). Listen to what the first officer reported:

LSZH DEP 125.950 1118 UTC:

Due to the missing fuel dump equipment the aircraft was circling for more than 3 hours to burn some fuel before landing on rwy 16 again.

During the whole “incident” the pilots did not declare emergency (squawk 7700), nor “Pan Pan”. The co-Pilot simply reported “vibrations” caused from engine 1 and was busy to omit Cumulus buildups, not shutting down engine 1, as it seemingly has not been damaged.

Here is the full ATC recording between LSZH Controller and LX14E:

ATC transcript LX14E 09SEP2014:

SWR14E: Zurich delivery gruezi wohl das isch Swiss 14E information PAPA Airbus 343 (A330-343X) requesting clearance, negative 28
LSZH DEL: Good afternoon say again the callsign please
SWR14E: It’s Swiss 14E (SWR14E)
LSZH DEL: 14E hello cleared to JFK runway 16 VEBIT3S squawk 3036
SWR14E: copied VEBIT3S on runway 16 to JFK the squawk 3036 and we call you when we are fully ready
LSZH DEL: roger

SWR14E: Delivery the SWR14E is now fully ready
LSZH DEL: SWR14E for startup monitor APRON 121.850 good bye
SWR14E: 121 decimal 850 SWR14E

LSZH APRON NORTH: SWR14E gruezi pushback and startup approved
SWR14E: Pushback startup approved SWR14E gruezi

SWR14E: SWR14E ready for taxi
LSZH APRON NORTH: SWR14E turn left taxi via taxiway JULIET CHARLIE and ECHO to the holding position ECHO2
SWR14E: J C E to hp E2 SWR14E
LSZH APRON NORTH: SWR14E standby on tower 118 decimal 1 schöne Tag
SWR14E: Standby on tower 118.1 SWR14E uf Widerseh

LSZH TWR: SWR14E tower gruezi mitenand behind Airbus lineup runway 16 your departure in eight minutes
SWR14E: Roger SWR14E gruezi wohl behind the Airbus in front lineup 16

LSZH TWR: SWR14E the winds 330 degrees 3 knodts runway 16 cleared takeoff
SWR14E: Cleared for takeoff runway 16 SWR14E

LSZH TWR: SWR14E contact departure ade
SWR14E: to departure SR14E

SWR14E: Zuri departure the SWR14E heavy 2800ft climbing 5000ft
LSZH DEP: SWR14E heavy departure identified climb to FL120
SWR14E: Climb to FL120 SWR14E

SWR14E: Ahh departure SWR14E
LSZH DEP: go ahead
SWR14E: we had a bird strike during takeoff through the engine 1 on the left engine we have vibrations it looked like some kind of a heron rather a big bird and for the moment we are proceeding on the clearance but we might to turn back we have to contact maintainance
LSZH DEP: SWR14E roger thats copied report if you need any assistance or if you prefer to go to a holding
SWR14E: we would like to proceed according to he clearance climb to about 120 and then till then we should should be able to have an indication by maintainance
LSZH DEP: ok very good thats all copied keep me advised and continue as cleared SWR14E
SWR14E: SWR14E and it was just during lifoff maybe you have to inspect the runway
LSZH DEP: we will do the runway inspection

LSZH DEP: SWR14E
SWR14E: SWR14E go (ahead)
LSZH DEP: do you request to remain on the frequency or for the next one for further climb?
SWR14E: negative further climb for the moment request to maintain FL120 and stay on the frequency I call you back in a minute
LSZH DEP: ok roger

SWR14E: Departure SWR14E request initially direct GIPOL for holding
LSZH DEP: SWR14E roger turn right to GIPOL and hold
SWR14E: right GIPOL and hold SWR14E
LSZH DEP: und zu ihrer Information si haend raecht grossi Vogelteil uf dr Pischte gfunde (for your information they found pretty big remainings of birds on the runway)
SWR14E: si haend raecht grossi Vogelteil uf dr Pischte gfunde danke fuer d’Info (reading back, thanks for info) SWR14E

LSZH DEP: SWR14E contact now final please on 125.325 sind informiert (have been informed)
SWR14E: 125.325 SWR14E danke

SWR14E: Final SWR14E heavy FL120 course GIPOL
LSZH FINAL APP: SWR14E gruezi wohl

SWR14E: SWR14E request right turn to avoid tower cumulus
LSZH FINAL APP: SWR14E thats approved

SWR14E: SWR14E on course GIPOL and hold
LSZH FINAL APP: SWR14E roger

SWR14E: and SWR14E fyi we just increased the speed for short while to check engine parameters
LSZH FINAL APP: SWR14E no problem

SWR14E: and Zurich Final from the SWR14E heavy
LSZH FINAL APP: SWR14E go ahead
SWR14E: it looks like that we come back for Zurich the reason is that we had a bird strike after the departure what we do now is hold over GIPOL if possible and we try to get below the max landing mass which takes around an hour or more we have just started calculation and we request to reduce the speed to around 180 to get fuel off to reduce the fuel SWR14E
LSZH FINAL APP: SWR14E that is copied you have no speed restrictions and is FL120 still fine or would you like to descend?
SWR14E: negative request to stay on FL120 SWR14E heavy
LSZH FINAL APP: SWR14E roger all copied

SWR14E: Final SWR14E
LSZH FINAL APP: SWR14E go (ahead)
SWR14E: we had just background noise just thats why I called SWR14 into GIPOL hold FL120
LSZH FINAL APP: SWR14E roger

SWR14E: Glatt he?
LSZH FINAL APP: Wie bitte?
SWR14E: Nuet nuet, mir haend wider background noise
LSZH FINAL APP: Ok
LSZH FINAL APP: Wenn’s daenn noed gaht choemmer uf ne anderi Frequaenz waechsle
SWR14E: Nanai scho guet zwuesched dure chunnts eifach aso haemmers wider
LSZH FINAL APP: Ok

LSZH FINAL APP: SWR14E
SWR14E: SWR14E go ahead
LSZH FINAL APP: Laufet bi oi no beidi Triber oder haend ihr jetz dr eint abgstellt?
SWR14E: Nanai es laufet no beid Triber aso ganz normal mir haend eifach em Engine 1 e höcheri Vibration
LSZH FINAL APP: Ok, danke fuer d’Info
SWR14E: Wie gseit hr haend en Vogel gfunde gaellet uf dr Pischte oder Teili?
LSZH FINAL APP: Mehreri Teili vo Voegel!
SWR14E: Ok, danke
LSZH FINAL APP: Die sind sicher 10 Minute no am putze gsy mit 5 Putzmaschine also ich glaub ihr haend oeppis raechts vewuetscht
SWR14E: Ok, danke fuer d’Info