The Bird V. Airplane War Claims Three More Of Our Feathered
Friends
A Southwest Boeing 737
encountered three "good-sized" birds on a recent flight from MCO to
SMF. Thankfully; the Boeing won in the latest of an extensive
series of bird strikes we've noted, of late. Mind you; these things
need to taken VERY seriously. Birds have severely damaged and even
brought down countless airplanes over the years and efforts to deal
with the problem have yet to reveal a comprehensive solution.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Air Force
databases contain information on more than 54,000 United States
civilian and military aircraft-wildlife strikes reported to them
between 1990 and 1999. During that decade, the FAA received reports
indicating that aircraft wildlife strikes, damaged 4,500 civilian
U.S. aircraft (1,500 substantially), destroyed 19 aircraft, injured
91 people, and killed 6 people. Additionally,
there were 216 incidents where birds struck two or more engines on
civilian aircraft, with damage occurring to 26 percent of the 449
engines involved in these incidents.
The FAA estimates that
during the same decade, civilian US aircraft sustained $4
billion worth of damages and associated losses and 4.7
million hours of aircraft downtime due to aircraft-wildlife
strikes.
So; beware your fine feathered friend....
** Report created 11/26/2003 Record 1 **
IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 789SW Make/Model: B737 Description: 737-700, BBJ,
C-40
Date: 11/24/2003 Time: 0200
Event Type: Incident Highest Injury: None Mid Air: N Missing:
N
Damage: Minor
LOCATION
City: KANSAS CITY State: MO Country: US
DESCRIPTION
AT APPROXIMATELY 8000 MSL 10 MI NW OF KANSAS CITY, MO (MCI), SWA557
STRUCK THREE MIGRATORY WATERFOWL. AT LEAST ONE OF THE WATERFOWL
STRUCK AND DAMAGED THE #1 ENGINE. THE ACFT RETURNED TO MCI AND
LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. KANSAS, MO
INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 0
# Crew: 3 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Grnd: Fat: 0
Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
WEATHER: KMCI 240153Z 30014KT 10SM BKN027 OVC033 M04/M08 A3003
OTHER DATA
Activity: Business Phase: Cruise Operation: Air Carrier
Departed: KANSAS CITY, MO MCI Dep Date: 11/24/2003 Dep. Time:
0155
Destination: SACRAMENTO, CA SMF Flt Plan: IFR Wx
Briefing:
Last Radio Cont: Last Clearance: CLIMG AND MAINTAIN
15000
FAA FSDO: KANSAS CITY, MO (CE05) Entry date: 11/24/2003