A Boeing 737-800 (registration PR-GUJ) operated by Gol Transportes Aereos encountered an emergency during its initial climb while performing flight G3-1445 from Brasília, DF, to São Paulo Guarulhos, SP. A bird strike on the right-hand engine (CFM56) during the climb from runway 11R at Brasília Airport caused the engine to catch fire. The crew stopped the climb at FL280 and decided to make an emergency return.
Safe Landing Achieved
The crew swiftly took the necessary precautions, returning the aircraft to Brasília and safely landing on runway 11R approximately 35 minutes after the incident. Passenger evacuation was carried out smoothly.
Replacement Aircraft Transported Passengers
To prevent passenger disruption, Gol Transportes Aereos deployed a backup Boeing 737-800 (registration PR-GXM), which reached São Paulo with an approximately 2-hour delay.
Incident Aircraft Grounded for 23 Hours
The damaged Boeing 737-800 remained grounded for around 23 hours for thorough technical inspection and maintenance before re-entering service. Authorities stated that the incident was under investigation and all necessary checks had been completed.
Aviation experts highlighted that bird strikes pose a significant risk to flight safety, emphasizing that continuous measures are being developed at airports to prevent such occurrences.
