Bird strike just after liftoff. Return land.

Attributes
ACN	166371
Time
Date	199012
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msy
State Reference	LA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 30 agl bound upper : 50
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : msy tower : msy tower : bna
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 23500 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	166371
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : private pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 119 flight time total : 5627 flight time type : 1027
ASRS Report	167013
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Immediately after vr and prior to gear retraction, aircraft incurred multiple seagull strikes from hundreds of seagulls rising up from departure end of runway. Both engines had compressor stalls, aircraft had rapid deterioration of performance and 'some' smoke entered cabin through the air conditioning system. Neither engine 'flamed out' and after engines stabilized, there was a noticeable vibration of undetermined source of aircraft. Aircraft returned to msy for inspection. A normal ILS and landing was completed on runway 28. Aircraft required both engines changed plus worked on fuselage and wings. Smoke in cabin dissipated before landing. There was no mention on ATIS of the seagulls on the runway. An updated ATIS from ground control was given during push back with no mention of the seagulls. His was/is an airport in an area of known seagull activity. My feeling is that this incident (which very easily could of been a disaster) could have been prevented with a more vigorous program of runway protection on days and times when seagull activity is likely to occur.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BIRD STRIKE JUST AFTER LIFTOFF. RETURN LAND.

Narrative: IMMEDIATELY AFTER VR AND PRIOR TO GEAR RETRACTION, ACFT INCURRED MULTIPLE SEAGULL STRIKES FROM HUNDREDS OF SEAGULLS RISING UP FROM DEP END OF RWY. BOTH ENGS HAD COMPRESSOR STALLS, ACFT HAD RAPID DETERIORATION OF PERFORMANCE AND 'SOME' SMOKE ENTERED CABIN THROUGH THE AIR CONDITIONING SYS. NEITHER ENG 'FLAMED OUT' AND AFTER ENGS STABILIZED, THERE WAS A NOTICEABLE VIBRATION OF UNDETERMINED SOURCE OF ACFT. ACFT RETURNED TO MSY FOR INSPECTION. A NORMAL ILS AND LNDG WAS COMPLETED ON RWY 28. ACFT REQUIRED BOTH ENGS CHANGED PLUS WORKED ON FUSELAGE AND WINGS. SMOKE IN CABIN DISSIPATED BEFORE LNDG. THERE WAS NO MENTION ON ATIS OF THE SEAGULLS ON THE RWY. AN UPDATED ATIS FROM GND CTL WAS GIVEN DURING PUSH BACK WITH NO MENTION OF THE SEAGULLS. HIS WAS/IS AN ARPT IN AN AREA OF KNOWN SEAGULL ACTIVITY. MY FEELING IS THAT THIS INCIDENT (WHICH VERY EASILY COULD OF BEEN A DISASTER) COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED WITH A MORE VIGOROUS PROGRAM OF RWY PROTECTION ON DAYS AND TIMES WHEN SEAGULL ACTIVITY IS LIKELY TO OCCUR.

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.