Dodoma bound plane hits flying bird in Dar, as TAA explains ‘Farms inside Sumbawanga Airport!’

Accident

A passenger plane operating under the Precision-Air company was forced back to Dar-es-salaam terminal after hitting a flying bird, as the aircraft was taking off towards Dodoma.

An official statement from the Precision-Air management reveals that their ATR aircraft with registration number 5H-PWD was forced to make an emergency landing after the incident.

According to the Precision-Air apologetic release, another plane belonging to their fleet developed mechanical problems leading to flight delays as well as postponement of some of their trips, scheduled for Friday, February 3, 2023.

It thus means two aircrafts operating under the Precision-air were grounded on the same day following the reported mishaps.

Sumbawanga airport invasion

In another development, the Tanzania Airports Authority (TAA) also released its own statement to explain what it described as ‘recent speculations,’ that the Sumbawanga Airport had been converted into a farm.

Sumbawanga airport is in Sumbawanga Municipality of Rukwa Region.

Its airport happens to be located extremely close to residential areas and adjacent farms.

TAA was reacting to the report which started making rounds on social media from February 2, 2023 that the Sumbawanga air terminal now operates as an agricultural patch and that its runaway features several farming plots.

According to the accounts, there are groups of people who have trespassed into the airport, encroaching the terminal’s land, digging their ways as far as the runaway, while extending their nearby farms.

The report goes on to claim that following the airport invasion, aircrafts can no longer land in Sumbawanga.

Still, the Tanzania Airports Authority admitted that some officials have been lenient in taking action against encroachment into public property, precisely sensitive facilities such as airports.

“We would like to inform members of the public that steps have been taken against trespassers and officials who let that happen,” reads part of the TAA statement.

According to the Authority, the Sumbawanga airport features a runway measuring 1.2 kilometers long, which is capable of handling aircrafts like Cessna 208 and Cessna Grand Caravans, that can always land and take off from the southern terminal safely.