Small aircraft hits bird and declares an emergency after windshield is shattered.

Attributes
ACN	159680
Time
Date	199010
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 900 msl bound upper : 900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ewr
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 580
ASRS Report	159680
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter other other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

My student and I were flying on an instructional sightseeing flight over the hudson river at 900'. 2 mi north of the statue of liberty, southbound on the nj side of the river, we hit a bird on the windshield. The bird came through the windshield in the cockpit, which blew out 2/3 of the windshield and opened the left door. Immediately checked if we were hurt, which was not the case, and closed the door, to prevent uncontrollability of the rudder. We lost about 300' and were flying about 60 KTS, so I applied full power immediately, also. Even with full power the plane would hardly climb. I tuned in ewr tower on the radio and told them about the problem. I was not able to stabilize the situation or get better performance, so I declared an emergency. Because of the wind, it was hard to communicate with ewr, but I got landing clearance for runway 29 almost immediately. Because of the wind and the blood (from bird) covered pieces of windshield that were left, it was hard to see the runway. I made a normal landing west/O flaps, because I already had that much drag. We made it back safely to the ground. Something I didn't do, but realizing after the flight that it would have been wise to open the windows. With that I could have released some pressure and may have gotten a little better performance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HITS BIRD AND DECLARES AN EMERGENCY AFTER WINDSHIELD IS SHATTERED.

Narrative: MY STUDENT AND I WERE FLYING ON AN INSTRUCTIONAL SIGHTSEEING FLT OVER THE HUDSON RIVER AT 900'. 2 MI N OF THE STATUE OF LIBERTY, SBND ON THE NJ SIDE OF THE RIVER, WE HIT A BIRD ON THE WINDSHIELD. THE BIRD CAME THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD IN THE COCKPIT, WHICH BLEW OUT 2/3 OF THE WINDSHIELD AND OPENED THE LEFT DOOR. IMMEDIATELY CHKED IF WE WERE HURT, WHICH WAS NOT THE CASE, AND CLOSED THE DOOR, TO PREVENT UNCONTROLLABILITY OF THE RUDDER. WE LOST ABOUT 300' AND WERE FLYING ABOUT 60 KTS, SO I APPLIED FULL PWR IMMEDIATELY, ALSO. EVEN WITH FULL PWR THE PLANE WOULD HARDLY CLB. I TUNED IN EWR TWR ON THE RADIO AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THE PROB. I WAS NOT ABLE TO STABILIZE THE SITUATION OR GET BETTER PERFORMANCE, SO I DECLARED AN EMER. BECAUSE OF THE WIND, IT WAS HARD TO COMMUNICATE WITH EWR, BUT I GOT LNDG CLRNC FOR RWY 29 ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. BECAUSE OF THE WIND AND THE BLOOD (FROM BIRD) COVERED PIECES OF WINDSHIELD THAT WERE LEFT, IT WAS HARD TO SEE THE RWY. I MADE A NORMAL LNDG W/O FLAPS, BECAUSE I ALREADY HAD THAT MUCH DRAG. WE MADE IT BACK SAFELY TO THE GND. SOMETHING I DIDN'T DO, BUT REALIZING AFTER THE FLT THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN WISE TO OPEN THE WINDOWS. WITH THAT I COULD HAVE RELEASED SOME PRESSURE AND MAY HAVE GOTTEN A LITTLE BETTER PERFORMANCE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.