Nobody Hurt -- Cow's Condition Unknown

This next story reminds us of flying our GA aircraft into very remote airfields here in the US -- those strips where you have to buzz the field once before you land to ensure the wildlife knows you're coming.

In this case, however, the animal on the strip was a domesticated cow and the aircraft in question was an Air France Airbus A340.

The aircraft, on approach to Port Harcourt in Nigeria, struck the cow as it landed. The A340, with more than 190 people on board, continued on to the terminal without further incident.

"There was a small incident, in which our plane crashed into an animal - either a cow or a goat" at Port Harcourt's airport, Air France spokesman Marina Tymen told Reuters. "It is absolutely nothing serious at all."

That probably depends on your point of view. If you're the cow, that's gotta smart. If you're the cow's owner, someone's going to pay for a new bovine. If you're the airport operator in Port Harcourt, you're probably most concerned about having to shut down your only runway and clean up beef pate from the pavement. If you're on the clean-up crew, however, you can rejoice. You're having steak tonight.

FMI: www.airfrance.com