Ethiopian Airlines Flight 604

Ethiopian Airlines Flight 604

An Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737-200, similar to the one involved.
Accident
Date	15 September 1988
Summary	Belly landing following dual engine failure caused by bird strike
Site	Bahir Dar Airport, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia 11°36′17″N 37°19′11″E / 11.60472°N 37.31972°E / 11.60472; 37.31972
Aircraft
Aircraft type	Boeing 737-200
Operator	Ethiopian Airlines
IATA flight No.	ET604
ICAO flight No.	ETH604
Call sign	ETHIOPIAN 604
Registration	ET-AJA
Flight origin	Bole International Airport
Stopover	Bahir Dar Airport
Destination	Asmara International Airport
Occupants	104
Passengers	98
Crew	6
Fatalities	35
Injuries	27
Survivors	69

Ethiopian Airlines Flight 604 was a scheduled Addis Ababa–Bahir Dar–Asmara flight in which the aircraft caught fire during a belly landing at Bahir Dar Airport, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, on 15 September 1988.

The aircraft involved in the accident was a Boeing 737-260, registration ET-AJA, delivered new to Ethiopian Airlines. At the time of the accident, the aircraft was less than a year old.^[1]

On 15 September 1988 (1988-09-15),^[2]: 51 the aircraft was scheduled to operate the second leg of a domestic Addis Ababa–Bahir Dar–Asmara passenger service with 98 passengers and 6 crew members on board.^[1][3] Both engines of the aircraft ingested a flock of speckled pigeons as it took off from Bahir Dar Airport, and subsequently overheated.^[1] One of the engines immediately lost thrust, while the other did so on the emergency return to the departure airport.^[4] During a gear-up landing, the aircraft caught fire.^[1] All of the fatalities were among the passengers.^[1]

• Ethiopian Airlines accidents and incidents
• Ural Airlines Flight 178 – 2019 accident after both engines failed following a bird strike shortly after takeoff
• US Airways Flight 1549 – 2009 accident after both engines failed following a bird strike shortly after takeoff
• Scandinavian Airlines Flight 751 - 1991 accident after both engines failed following ice ingestion shortly after takeoff
• Eastern Air Lines Flight 375 – 1960 accident after the aircraft suffered a bird strike shortly after takeoff