Total AT42 at Coari on May 30th 2014, tapir strike on takeoff

Brazilian Tapir (Photo: Whaldener Endo)A Total Linhas Aereas Avion de Transport Regional ATR-42-500, registration PR-TKB performing a charter flight from Coari,AM to Manaus,AM (Brazil) with 45 passengers and 4 crew, collided with a tapir while departing Coari which bent the right hand main gear. The crew continued to Manuas about 200nm from Coari where the crew performed an emergency landing into Manuas. The crew burned off fuel before landing, landed and brought the aircraft to a safe stop on the runway. The aircraft was disabled on the runway. The passengers disembarked onto the runway.

The airport was closed for about 2 hours until the aircraft could be moved off the runway.

Brazilian (South American) Tapirs can reach up to 2.5 meters in body length, a shoulder height of about 1 meter and a mass between 150 and 300kg.

The aircraft sitting on the runway (Photos: Emergency Services Manaus):