Watch: Blood-Covered Pilot Lands Plane With Dead Bird Stuck In Aircraft's Windshield

In an unusual occurrence, a pilot in Ecuador managed to land a plane after a bird damaged the aircraft's windshield. The incident was caught on camera showing the blood-covered pilot in the aircraft's cockpit trying to get the plane on the ground. As per Daily Mail's report, the pilot in the incident has been identified as squadron leader Ariel Valiente. The report suggests that the scary incident occurred in Vinces, Los Rios Province.

The video shared on social media shows the pilot covered in blood while a big bird seems to be stuck in the broken windshield of the plane. Meanwhile, the talons and parts of the bird hang over the pilot's head as he struggles to fly the aircraft. The visuals also show the pilot's gear and face all covered in blood.

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However, with the bird stuck in the windshield, the pilot seems to be calm and controls the aircraft. The details of the flight or the height at which the incident occurred are scarce. Furthermore, the route of the flight is also still being determined.

Pilot safely lands plane uninjured after a huge bird struck his windshield in the Los Ríos Province, Ecuador pic.twitter.com/8m0LxN7fRt — Latest in space (@latestinspace) June 15, 2023

It is to be noted that bird strikes are a major problem often faced by aviators and airlines. Such incidents often severely damage the plane, leading to emergency landings and even casualties at times. Airport authorities in India have been taking multiple steps to deal with the problem.

It is crucial to recognise that bird strikes frequently happen close to airports. Specifically, the birds or animals strike the aircraft as it is nearer the ground, which occurs during takeoff, landing, low-altitude cruising, or as the aircraft is still ascending or landing. Because some bird species prefer to fly high, they occasionally even happen at elevations as high as 4,500 m or even 7,290 m.

It goes without saying that bird strikes typically result in harm to the aircraft's forward-facing parts, including the glass, nose cone, and engines. Although bird hits to the nose cone might seriously harm the aircraft, they rarely result in flight cancellation. A broken windscreen might cause a loss of cabin pressure, requiring a diversion to a nearby airport. Windscreen damage is more catastrophic.

Things could worsen if the bird becomes trapped in the plane's engine—a condition known as jet engine ingestion. If the engine is seriously damaged in this situation, an emergency landing at the closest airfield may be required.