An Air Canada Jazz Express aircraft was damaged by a bird strike this week while approaching Timmins Victor M. Power Airport, forcing the cancellation of an outbound flight. Airport officials said the aircraft landed safely Sept. 2 after the incident, which occurred roughly five to six miles from the airport. Airport manager Dave Dayment said the flight crew reported feeling a bump while on final approach. An inspection of the aircraft found damage to a fairing on the plane’s tail, Dayment said, and maintenance crews believe the bird may have been a bald eagle. “Very rare for that,” he said. “They’ve reported between five and six miles final on approach, which is not even in our control zone.” Dayment said the aircraft would have been at least 2,000 feet in the air at that point in the approach. “It happens, but it’s very rare to run into that size of a bird,” he said. Jazz Aviation said the aircraft landed safely and will undergo a full inspection, with any repairs to be completed before it returns to service. However, it said it can’t confirm the species of the bird involved.
