On August 29, 2020, a Skymark Airlines Boeing 737 (registered as JA73NM) suffered a bird strike while climbing through 3,000 meters from Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND). A post-flight inspection reportedly revealed damage to the outer skin and internal structure of the aircraft.
On the day of the incident, the flight BC21 took off from Haneda airport at 5:21 PM and was en route to Fukuoka Airport (FUK), Japan. The bird strike took place 15 kilometers southeast of Tokyo airport, around 30 minutes into the flight.
Following the collision with a bird, the crew continued the flight towards Fukuoka, as the aircraft showed no abnormal indications. The captain did report a possible bird strike to the airline’s flight management department.
There were 70 passengers onboard the flight BC21 and six crew members. No injuries were reported.
A post-flight check-up revealed a dent in the left fuselage’s outer plate and damage to its internal structure. After reviewing information, Japan’s Transport Safety Board declared the bird strike as an accident on August 29, 2020. The matter remains under investigation.
The Boeing 737-800 that was involved in the incident was produced in Renton, the United States, and delivered to Skymark Airlnes in February 2012. As of September 2, the aircraft remains on standby at Fukuoka airport.
Skymark Airlines is a Japanese low-cost airline headquartered in Haneda Airport, Tokyo. The carrier currently operates an all-Boeing 737-800fleet of 29 aircraft.