During a routine take-off carrying 36 passengers and three crew, the aircraft accelerated normally until just after passing the critical decision speed (V1). At this point, the first officer, who was flying the aircraft, noticed a flock of birds approaching the flight path and became concerned about the possibility of a bird strike. Although intending to continue the take-off, the first officer reduced the rate of rotation to keep the aircraft below the birds. However, this action was not a standard procedure and was not communicated to the captain.
The captain misinterpreted the reduced rate of rotation as an indication that the first officer was aborting the take-off. Acting on this belief, the captain immediately reduced power and applied braking. Because this occurred after the aircraft had exceeded the maximum speed at which a safe stop could be made, the aircraft was unable to stop within the runway and overran the end by approximately five metres. Despite this, there were no injuries or damage to the aircraft.
The investigation found that the incident was primarily caused by a breakdown in communication between the two pilots at a critical moment. Each pilot had a different understanding of the situation and the intended actions, resulting in conflicting inputs. The first officer prioritised avoiding the birds, while the captain prioritised stopping the aircraft, leading to an unsafe outcome.
The report highlights that effective crew resource management (CRM), particularly clear and timely communication, is essential for safe operations. It also emphasises the importance of adhering to standard procedures and making decisions based on realistic assessments of risk. In this case, the perceived danger of a bird strike was likely overestimated, whereas deviating from established procedures introduced greater risk.
Overall, the incident demonstrates how small misunderstandings and non-standard actions during high-pressure situations can escalate into safety-critical events, even when no physical harm occurs.