Ground Strike - Sydney Airport, New South Wales, on 13 October 2007, VH-EEB, Embraer EMB-120 ER

On the evening of 13 October 2007, an Embraer-Empresa Brasilia EMB-120 ER, registered VH-EEB, was taxiing at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, NSW, to take off on a freight charter flight to Melbourne, Vic. The aircraft was lined up with the left edge of the runway. Shortly after the take-off roll commenced, the crew reported feeling two or three bumps on the runway, after which time the crew's attention was drawn to an electrical burning smell in the cockpit, followed by a high-speed warning. The smell dispersed and the flight continued as normal to Melbourne.

Pre-flight checks for the return flight to Sydney revealed damage to the aircraft, which was subsequently found to have been caused by impact with the runway edge lighting on the left side of Sydney runway 16R, where the aircraft had started its take-off run. The aircraft was grounded at Melbourne for repair.