Narrative:

Departure frg VFR approximately XC00. Requested VFR clearance southwest to bl. Cleared through class D to southwest. Instructed to contact kennedy approach. Jfk approach switched me to jfk tower. Cleared into class B over beach and instructed to maintain at or below 500 ft and remain over shoreline on southwest course. A group of birds impacted airplane, 4 or 5 birds or large pieces of birds hit windshield and wings. Forward vision obstructed by bird remains smeared on windshield. Aircraft was slightly damaged. I feel that 500 AGL restriction posed a hazard. In radar, environment, separation from jfk traffic could have been maintained at a higher, safer altitude. Earlier at xcoo, I was allowed to overfly jfk. This is a safer approach to separation. I feel VFR transitions through this area should be reviewed. 500 ft over shoreline is a hazardous area for many reasons-add bird strikes to the list. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter discussed other alternatives than to accept shoreline clearance below and outside jfk class B. He had considered declaring an emergency, but decided to 'work with it.' within a min or so, the pilot advised that his forward flight vision improved and he proceeded on to his destination.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT ENCOUNTERS BIRD STRIKES WHILE COMPLYING WITH JFK CLASS B, OFFSHORE RTE AT 500 FT.

Narrative: DEP FRG VFR APPROX XC00. REQUESTED VFR CLRNC SW TO BL. CLRED THROUGH CLASS D TO SW. INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT KENNEDY APCH. JFK APCH SWITCHED ME TO JFK TWR. CLRED INTO CLASS B OVER BEACH AND INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN AT OR BELOW 500 FT AND REMAIN OVER SHORELINE ON SW COURSE. A GROUP OF BIRDS IMPACTED AIRPLANE, 4 OR 5 BIRDS OR LARGE PIECES OF BIRDS HIT WINDSHIELD AND WINGS. FORWARD VISION OBSTRUCTED BY BIRD REMAINS SMEARED ON WINDSHIELD. ACFT WAS SLIGHTLY DAMAGED. I FEEL THAT 500 AGL RESTRICTION POSED A HAZARD. IN RADAR, ENVIRONMENT, SEPARATION FROM JFK TFC COULD HAVE BEEN MAINTAINED AT A HIGHER, SAFER ALTITUDE. EARLIER AT XCOO, I WAS ALLOWED TO OVERFLY JFK. THIS IS A SAFER APCH TO SEPARATION. I FEEL VFR TRANSITIONS THROUGH THIS AREA SHOULD BE REVIEWED. 500 FT OVER SHORELINE IS A HAZARDOUS AREA FOR MANY REASONS-ADD BIRD STRIKES TO THE LIST. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR DISCUSSED OTHER ALTERNATIVES THAN TO ACCEPT SHORELINE CLRNC BELOW AND OUTSIDE JFK CLASS B. HE HAD CONSIDERED DECLARING AN EMER, BUT DECIDED TO 'WORK WITH IT.' WITHIN A MIN OR SO, THE PLT ADVISED THAT HIS FORWARD FLT VISION IMPROVED AND HE PROCEEDED ON TO HIS DEST.

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.