Source: Simon Hradecky | www.avherald.com

An El Al Boeing 737-800, registration 4X-EKM performing flight LY-5298 from Sofia (Bulgaria) to Tel Aviv (Israel), was climbing out of Sofia’s runway 09 cleared to climb to FL250, when the crew declared PAN PAN reporting fumes in cabin, the crew stopped the climb at FL210 to run checklists and decide whether to continue or return. The crew subsequently advised they believe they had received a bird strike into an engine (CFM56), the engine was running fine, nonetheless, they requested to return to Sofia. The aircraft landed safely on Sofia’s runway 09 about 37 minutes after departure.

A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration 4X-EKI is estimated to reach Tel Aviv with a delay of 8:40 hours.

The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Sofia about 9 hours after landing.