Narrative:

A piper aztec PA23-250T was being flown by the pilot northeast of afw's ILS runway 16L approach course level at 2700 ft MSL when the aircraft encountered a flock of 6-8 buzzard type birds, 2 of which struck the aircraft. The purpose of the flight was to perform a maintenance check of the GS indicators on afw's ILS runway 16L approachs due to the instruments showing a flag at GS intercept on a previous flight. The aircraft was receiving suggested headings for aircraft spacing on the ILS runway 16L approach course from the afw tower. The aircraft had just completed a right turn from a 340 degree heading to 270 degree heading when the flock of buzzard birds was encountered. The flock of birds completely bracketed the aircraft left to right, above and below the flight path. One of the birds struck the right wing leading edge causing substantial damage. A second bird impacted the left engine nacelle nose bowl below the cooling air intake after flying through the propeller causing minor damage to the nacelle (top skin). Several birds were observed to be headed directly toward the windshield by the pilot as he was ducking down but no further impact was observed. The bird strike incident was an example of an aircraft being at the wrong place at the wrong time. The only practical way to avoid the collision with the birds would have been to remain on the ground and to have not to have flown at that time and place.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA23-250 AZTEC PLT SUFFERS MULTIPLE BIRD STRIKES ON HIS ACFT WHILE BEING RADAR VECTORED OUTSIDE THE LOM AT AFW, TX, AT 2700 FT.

Narrative: A PIPER AZTEC PA23-250T WAS BEING FLOWN BY THE PLT NE OF AFW'S ILS RWY 16L APCH COURSE LEVEL AT 2700 FT MSL WHEN THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED A FLOCK OF 6-8 BUZZARD TYPE BIRDS, 2 OF WHICH STRUCK THE ACFT. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLT WAS TO PERFORM A MAINT CHK OF THE GS INDICATORS ON AFW'S ILS RWY 16L APCHS DUE TO THE INSTS SHOWING A FLAG AT GS INTERCEPT ON A PREVIOUS FLT. THE ACFT WAS RECEIVING SUGGESTED HEADINGS FOR ACFT SPACING ON THE ILS RWY 16L APCH COURSE FROM THE AFW TWR. THE ACFT HAD JUST COMPLETED A R TURN FROM A 340 DEG HDG TO 270 DEG HDG WHEN THE FLOCK OF BUZZARD BIRDS WAS ENCOUNTERED. THE FLOCK OF BIRDS COMPLETELY BRACKETED THE ACFT L TO R, ABOVE AND BELOW THE FLT PATH. ONE OF THE BIRDS STRUCK THE R WING LEADING EDGE CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. A SECOND BIRD IMPACTED THE L ENG NACELLE NOSE BOWL BELOW THE COOLING AIR INTAKE AFTER FLYING THROUGH THE PROP CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE TO THE NACELLE (TOP SKIN). SEVERAL BIRDS WERE OBSERVED TO BE HEADED DIRECTLY TOWARD THE WINDSHIELD BY THE PLT AS HE WAS DUCKING DOWN BUT NO FURTHER IMPACT WAS OBSERVED. THE BIRD STRIKE INCIDENT WAS AN EXAMPLE OF AN ACFT BEING AT THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME. THE ONLY PRACTICAL WAY TO AVOID THE COLLISION WITH THE BIRDS WOULD HAVE BEEN TO REMAIN ON THE GND AND TO HAVE NOT TO HAVE FLOWN AT THAT TIME AND PLACE.

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.