# NTSB DCA13WA072: Boeing B737, N279AD, Guatemala City, Guatemala, April 5, 2013

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Foreign investigation
- Date: April 5, 2013
- Place: Guatemala City, Guatemala
- Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Takeoff: Birdstrike](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 5 uninjured
- Status: Led by another country's authority
- NTSB office: Major Investigations Division
- Lead agency: Other
- NTSB case key (mKey): 86632
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA13WA072
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/86632/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA13WA072

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Takeoff: Birdstrike](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901) (defining event); cases with it: [Boeing 737-4Q8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901/sequence.md?model=138447Q), [All aircraft, 253 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901/sequence.md)

## Factual narrative

On 5 April 2013, at approximately 1029 local time, a Boeing 737-4Q8, registration N279AD, ingested a turkey vulture in the right engine during takeoff from La Aurora Airport, Guatemala City, Guatemala. Inspection of the airplane revealed damage to the first stage compressor of the right engine. There were no injuries. The incident is being investigated by the Departamento de Accidentes e Incidentes of the Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil (DGAC) of Guatemala. The NTSB has appointed an Accredited Representative to assist the investigation under the provisions of ICAO Annex 13 as the State of Design and Manufacture of the aircraft. All inquiries should be directed to the DGAC at: Departamento de Accidentes e Incidentes Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil (DGAC) 9 Ave. 14-75 Aeropuerto Internacional La Aurora zona 13 www.dgacguate.com

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N279AD](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N279AD-2026-10-22), registration cancelled 2026-10-22, S/N 26279, built 1992 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BOEING B737 (4Q8)
- Registry model: [Boeing 737-4Q8](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-737-4q8) (registry code 138447Q) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [CFM International CFM56-3C series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/cfm-international-cfm56-3c-series) (registry code 13064, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Damage: Minor damage
- Flight: Part 129
- Registered owner: Msa V
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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