At about 11:00 on Tuesday 14th November, an American Airlines Airbus A319 registered N9025B and operating flight AA1498 from Mexico City to Miami was damaged due to a bird strike on approach to Miami International Airport.
The plane landed safely and parked at gate D22. No injuries were reported (…except for the bird!)
After landing, animal services retrieved the bird from the plane, which was then taken out of service for repairs. The bird had punctured a hole in the nose cone on impact. The aircraft resumed service the next day.
Bird strikes are not uncommon, but they rarely cause holes in the structure of the aircraft. Furthermore, what made this instance unique was that the bird was then stuck to the plane for the rest of the flight.
