Air Asia just cant get a break these days. Bird strike on DEP from Gold Coast took out an engine.
"Two bird remains were found on the runway," the company said.
But aviation consultant Neil Hansford called the airline's explanation into question, saying it would take very large birds to cause the level of damage shown in early pictures.
"If I look at the early damage here there's blades missing, which I find a little suspicious," the Strategic Aviation Solutions chairman told ABC Radio Brisbane.
"And I also find suspicious the fact that the airline is saying that they've found carcasses on the runway.
"AirAsia would have had no access to the runway and that would have been something that would have been determined by Gold Coast Airport."
Mr Hansford said he would give more weight to the bird strike theory if it came directly from the airport, which he said was responsible for keeping birds off the runway, or an air safety body.
A Civil Aviation Safety Authority spokesman later confirmed plover carcasses were found at the Gold Coast Airport, where flight D7207 took off around 10.20pm.
"There was evidence on the runway of a birdstrike," spokesman Peter Gibson said.
A Gold Coast Airport spokeswoman said "there is evidence to suggest a suspected bird strike".
"Gold Coast Airport has developed and implemented an extensive wildlife management program," she said, in a statement.
"The airport also has a long-standing relationship with a leading bird strike management specialist, providing technical advice and assistance in active management of wildlife at the airport."
The flight with 345 passengers and 14 crew was diverted to Brisbane and landed safely at 11:33pm.
