Ukrainian investigators have disclosed that an Antonov An-74TK-100 suffered power loss in both engines before a runway excursion in Sao Tome.

TheCavok Airaircraft, bound for Accra, had encountered a flock of birds during the take-off on 29 July, says the Ukrainian air accident investigation authority NBAAI.

It says that, as a result of the bird collision, the aircraft "lost both engines" and the crew aborted the take-off. The twinjet was fitted with Progress D-36 powerplants.

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"The aircraft skidded off the runway and sustained major damage," the authority adds.

There was no fire. Five crew members suffered only minor injuries. NBAAI has appointed a Ukrainian representative to the probe.

NBAAI states that a second An-74 - a TK-300 variant – was involved in a bird-strike on its left-hand engine during a flight from Ternopil to Lviv two weeks earlier, on 14 July.

It states that the aircraft (UR-AWB) was being operated by Ukraine Air Enterprise, but that it did not suffer engine damage in the event.

While theCavok Airaircraft was a TK-100, which has its engines characteristically mounted above the wing, the TK-300 has a more conventional design with underwing pods.