On May 28, 2023, Air France Flight AF291, operated by an Airbus A350-900 aircraft, experienced damage to its nose cone due to a bird strike incident during its journey from Osaka-Kansai (KIX), Japan, to Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG).
As a safety precaution, the flight declared an emergency and promptly returned to the departure airport at 11:00 JST.
Air France A350 Bird Strike Incident
Based on FlightRadar24 data, Air France flight AF291 — operated by an Airbus A350-941 — departed from Osaka Kansai International Airport (KIX) at 2:15 AM UTC. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft encountered a bird strike incident that resulted in damage to its nose cone.
Around 30 minutes into the flight, after reaching a cruising altitude of 35,000 feet, the pilots of the aircraft operating the flight made the decision to return to Osaka-Kansai. This was due to a technical malfunction that affected the aircraft's weather radar and speedometer.

Images shared on social media depict the A350 aircraft taxiing at Osaka-Kansai following the emergency landing. These images clearly display noticeable damage to the nose cone, indicating a probable bird strike during takeoff.
The incident took place on an Air France aircraft with the registration F-HTYO, which had been operational for approximately one year.

The aircraft was carrying a total of 324 passengers, including the crew, at the time of the occurrence.
The Hidden Pilot Problem That Could Make or Break Boom's Supersonic Jet » VIDEO: Turkish C-130 Crash Near Georgia-Azerbaijan Border » SFO TSA Officers Still Getting Paid Despite Government Shutdown »
Comments (0)
Add Your Comment
SHARE
TAGS
NEWS Air France A350 Air France A350 Bird strike DamageRECENTLY PUBLISHED
The Hidden Pilot Problem That Could Make or Break Boom's Supersonic Jet
AeroXplorer recently spoke with Tristan Brandenburg, Boom Supersonic's Chief Test Pilot. In conversation, it became evident that in the months leading up to Overture's rollout, one of Boom's most complex challenges might not be in the wind tunnel, but in the cockpit.
STORIES
READ MORE »
LOT Polish Airlines Announces New Route to San Francisco
LOT Polish Airlines has announced a new direct route from Warsaw to San Francisco, enhancing connectivity between Europe and a major U.S. technology hub. This route presents significant opportunities for both business and leisure travelers alike.
ROUTES
READ MORE »
Meet the Startup Building the Plane Everyone Else Said Was Impossible
AeroXplorer spoke with Meagan Villanueva of Otto Aerospace about how the startup plans to build the world's most efficient business jet. Otto is betting on a simple but radical idea: if you can minimize drag across an aircraft's surface, you can unlock performance improvements that legacy designs can't even touch.
STORIES
READ MORE »