Returns To ELP Following Strike Above 10K Feet

Everyone onboard the plane is OK... but more than a few birds gave their all when a Southwest Airlines 737 struck a high-flying flock shortly after takeoff Saturday from El Paso International Airport.

El Paso's KVIA reports the flight to Dallas had just departed, and was climbing through 10,000 feet when the aircraft encountered the flock of migrating avians. The flight crew opted to return to ELP, according to Southwest spokesman Chris Mainz.

That was probably a good call... as photos of the damage, taken by a passenger on the flight, show a foot-long gash in the aircraft's radome, and a similarly-sized rend on the rear stabilizer. The flight was cancelled as the plane was taken out of service for repairs, and passengers were rebooked onto other flights.

It's somewhat unusual for an airliner to encounter birds as high as the Southwest flight did -- strikes are far more common at lower altitudes -- but migratory birds have been known to fly up to 20,000 feet. It appears the strike occurred at approximately 7,000 feet AGL, based on information from passengers.

One person onboard the flight told ABC-7 the crew had just given the OK for passengers to use electronic devices when the incident occurred -- indicating the plane was above 10,000 feet MSL.

NTSB spokesman Peter Knudson says the Board's Arlington, TX office is evaluating the incident, but it is unlikely the situation merits a full-blown 'accident' investigation.

Knudson also says based on the photos he's seen, the damage didn't look extensive enough to have put the plane in actual danger... but it's better to be safe than sorry, and the flight crew did the right thing to return to ELP.

FMI: www.southwest.com, www.ntsb.gov