FAA Wildlife Strike Database

David Eiker, M.A.S.

Biologist/Archivist

So . . . What’s the Problem?

We took to the skies! And the birds didn’t leave.

So, large and small, we collide . . .

A Piper PA-28 Warrior wing struck by an American bittern in Atlantic City, N.J

C-130 Bald Eagle Strike

http://www.skybrary.aero/index.php/File:C130BS2.jpeg

F-16 after bird strike

Israeli Air Force UH-60 after striking a Common Crane

View from inside . . .

Slice ‘n’ Dice anyone?

Ameriflight Beechcraft C-99 after striking a Western Grebe at 11,000 feet

Hawker Beechcraft 400A, Sugar Land, Texas after striking a Yellow Crowned

Night Heron

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/spp_photos.aspx?spp=1&sppid=577&keepThis=true&TB_iframe=true&height=488&width=875

Cessna 172 Addison, TX Two fatalities

Airbus A-320 ditched in the Hudson River – all onboard rescued

And it’s not always birds . . .

Cessna Citation II Deer strike

A total loss . . . Except for maybe the nose gear

View of fan blades of Pratt & Whitney JT8D jet engine after a bird strike

Major occurrences of September 2013

Some considerations on September occurrences. Deer strikes on small airports in the USA are increasing: three events in this month (2,8,10) plus another one in the last month. According to some estimates, deer in the USA reach the awesome number of 25 million, one out of 12 inhabitants. Compounding this, the number of airports clearly lacking in a suitable fence is still very high. Particularly remarkable is the event occurred on the 10th to a small aircraft on scheduled commercial service. Bird strikes that cause injures to pilots or passengers are fortunately rare; however it happened twice this month, on the 12th and on 28th. In both cases small aircraft were involved, for which the rigorous certification requirements provided for airliners do not apply. These occurrences however, in our opinion, should lead to reconsider this matter. Another remarkable event (7) is the loss of an helicopter due to a abrupt turn to avoid a large flock of birds while en route.

Finally let’s go back once again to the crew behavior following a bird strike, especially in case of bird ingestion into an engine after take-off. Seven times out of nine cases reported on this month flight crew elected to land immediately. Two decided instead to continue the flight in the absence of abnormal parameters: in both these circumstances the aircraft received damages and in one case indeed (28th) the airplane was forced to land on an alternate airport. One of the problems connected with these different choices is the lack of clear indications in the airline flight manuals on ‘what to do’ in case of bird strike/ingestion. Fortunately most pilots opt for cautious choices. 10 August - Donetsk UTAir Ukraine ATR 42, on rotation struck a dog on the runway with the right main landing gear; 29 August - Napa (CA) Priv. Cessna 750, on landing struck a deer;

30 August - enroute over U.S. Dornier 328, during the flight birds struck an engine causing substantial damage; immediate diversion and landing at Cincinnati (OH); 2 – Winifred (MT) Priv. Cessna 310, on take off struck a deer; 2 – Raleigh-Durham Southwest B737, during the initial climb the crew reported they lost one engine due to a bird strike; several delays for other traffic due to debris on the runway until the landing of 737; 2 – Flint (MI) Southwest B737, during the take off roll went through a flock of birds and suffered multiple impacts; the crew reported control problems but landed few minutes later; two birds of prey found near the runway; substantial damage; 7 – Amistad (NM) IDOT Bell 206, made an abrupt turn to avoid a massive bird strike while enroute, but was unable to recover complete control before it struck terrain; no injured;

8 – Woodstock (CO) Priv. Pa24, struck a bird on departure and force landed in a corn field; 8 –Sherman Bluff (GA) Priv. Cessna 172, on landing struck a deer on the runway; 10 – Rockland (ME) Cape Air Cessna 402, on departure struck a deer on the runway; taxied back to the ramp with unknown damage; 11 – Newcastle Jet2.com B737, after takeoff during the initial climb flew through a flock of gulls and suffered multiple impacts; immediate return; on final there was a fire indication for the left engine that later proved to be unfounded; 12 – Lihue (HI) Priv. Eurocopter AS355, struck a bird shattering the windshield and injury a passenger; 13 – Fort Myers (FL) Southwest B737, during the initial climb struck a bird that caused strong vibrations but not abnormal parameters; not knowing how and where the impact occurred, the crew returned for landing 15’ later;

13 – Vienna Austrian Airlines A321, bird strike prompted the crew to reject the take off at high speed; flight cancelled; 14 – Pisa Easyjet A 319, during the initial climb the crew reported a bird strike into one engine; immediate return 35’ later; airport closed for one hour and replacement aircraft; 14 – Salt Lake City Skywest CRJ600, after take off flew through a large flock of birds at about 5000 feet and suffered a number of bird impacts; in the absence of abnormal indications the crew continued the flight to destination where an inspection revealed damages; 18 – Dallas Jetblue ERJ190, during the initial climb suffered a bird strike that affected the left engine; precautionary landing 90’ later due to burning off fuel; 18 – Miami American Eagle ERJ145, on final at 1000 ft. struck a large bird, probably a vulture; the next aircraft on approach was advised by the TWR about birds and chose to go around;

20 – Medellin Avianca A318, during the initial climb the left engine was struck by a large bird, probably a vulture; immediate return; 21 - Orlando/Toronto Canjet B737, a post-flight inspection revealed substantial damage to the leading edge of the left wing whose n. 2 slat had to be replaced; it was not possible to determine where the bird strike occurred; 22 – Djerba Tunis Air B737, on final two large birds impacted the nose gear causing a hydraulic leak; the crew stopped the aircraft on the runway fearing some gear damage; 28 – Near Somerset (KY) Priv. VANS RV10, in flight, windshield sustained damage from a bird strike; minor injuries to the pilot; 28 – Multan (Pakistan) Flydubai B737, during the take off run the right engine ingested a number of birds; in absence of abnormal parameters the crew decided to continue the flight to destination; already enroute some time later the crew received abnormal indications for the engine however and decided to divert to Karachi

1995 – Agreement between FAA/USDA 1999 – ERAU Prescott, AZ

establishes database. Continued refinement and redesign through 2009 The result is the FAA’s

National Wildlife Aircraft Strike Database

http://wildlife.faa.gov

FAA’s National Wildlife Aircraft Strike Database (Home Page Access to On-Line Strike Reporting)

wildlife.faa.gov

FAA’s National Wildlife Aircraft Strike Database (Home Page Access to On-Line Strike Reporting)

wildlife.faa.gov

FAA’s National Wildlife Aircraft Strike Database Strike Report Information Flow

FAA’s National Wildlife Aircraft Strike Database (Home Page Access to On-Line Strike Reporting)

wildlife.faa.gov

FAA’s National Wildlife Aircraft Strike Database (Home Page Access to On-Line Strike Reporting)

wildlife.faa.gov

FAA’s National Wildlife Aircraft Strike Database (Form 5200-7 “Quick Look” E-Mail Notification)

FAA’s National Wildlife Aircraft Strike Database Strike Report Information Flow

FAA’s National Wildlife Aircraft Strike Database (Entered in ACCESS Database for Public Access)

Questions?