A B737-300 on climb out at 5200 ft experienced a bird strike incurring damage to the aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	401628
Time
Date	199805
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : iah
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5200 msl bound upper : 5200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iah
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : private pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 19000 flight time type : 12000
ASRS Report	401628
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During climb from the houston (iah) airport we struck a bird with the right front of the aircraft fuselage. We were climbing through 5200 ft at 320 KTS on the increased speed departure from iah. There was no indication of aircraft or engine problems so the flight was continued to cos. An after landing inspection revealed 4 bird strikes: 1) lower right front fuselage, 2) right horizontal tail leading edge, 3) left (#1) lower engine cowl, and 4) left lower fuselage near pak cooling air inlet. Bird collision is very difficult to control, especially after dark. A slower climb speed might have lessened the damage, but I doubt it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 ON CLBOUT AT 5200 FT EXPERIENCED A BIRD STRIKE INCURRING DAMAGE TO THE ACFT.

Narrative: DURING CLB FROM THE HOUSTON (IAH) ARPT WE STRUCK A BIRD WITH THE R FRONT OF THE ACFT FUSELAGE. WE WERE CLBING THROUGH 5200 FT AT 320 KTS ON THE INCREASED SPEED DEP FROM IAH. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF ACFT OR ENG PROBLEMS SO THE FLT WAS CONTINUED TO COS. AN AFTER LANDING INSPECTION REVEALED 4 BIRD STRIKES: 1) LOWER R FRONT FUSELAGE, 2) R HORIZONTAL TAIL LEADING EDGE, 3) L (#1) LOWER ENG COWL, AND 4) L LOWER FUSELAGE NEAR PAK COOLING AIR INLET. BIRD COLLISION IS VERY DIFFICULT TO CTL, ESPECIALLY AFTER DARK. A SLOWER CLB SPEED MIGHT HAVE LESSENED THE DAMAGE, BUT I DOUBT IT.

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.