Virgin Australia AT72 at Albury on Feb 25th 2014, bird strike

A Virgin Australia Avions de Transport Regional ATR-72-212A, registration VH-FVR performing flight XR-1174/VA-1174 from Sydney,NS to Albury,NS (Australia), had completed a safe landing at Albury. The crew reported a possible bird strike during the flight prompting maintenance to inspect the aircraft.

Australia's Transportation Safety Board (ATSB) reported that the post flight examination revealed substantial damage to the tail assembly of the aircraft and included this new, second accident into the investigation concerning a turbulence accident five days earlier, see: Accident: Virgin Australia AT72 near Sydney on Feb 20th 2014, severe turbulence injures cabin crew.

The ATSB stated:

Investigation AO-2014-032 encompasses two accidents that occurred to the same aircraft, VH-FVR

Those accidents are:

- a turbulence event on 20/2/2014 (ATSB reference number 201400786)

and

- substantial damage detected on 25/2/2014 (ATSB reference number 201400985)

Both of these accidents are being considered as part of the ATSB's investigation. The ATSB is working with the operator and the aircraft manufacturer to understand the chain of events that led to the damage sustained by the aircraft.