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MD80 flight crew encounters a flock of geese on climb out resulting in left engine failure. Emergency declared and returned for uneventful landing.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 630906 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200409 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ord.airport |
| State Reference | IL |
| Altitude | msl single value : 3000 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : c90.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| ASRS Report | 630906 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| ASRS Report | 630903 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : birds other anomaly |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : engine instruments other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | aircraft : evacuated other |
| Consequence | other other other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Environmental Factor Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Environmental Factor |
Narrative:
Took off runway 4L. After takeoff, we were given a 90 degree heading and an altitude of 4000 ft. At approximately 3000 ft and 5-6 mi from the field, I noticed a flock of approximately 20 geese. I called out to my first officer 'birds' he lowered the nose to try to avoid them but it was too late. About 1/2 the flock passed by on each side of the aircraft. Immediately, the left engine seized and the fire warning light came on. I declared an emergency. We made a r-hand turn back to the field to land on runway 32L. Accomplished engine fire warning and before landing checklists. An uneventful landing was made. After landing, the fire department confirmed that there was no fire but that there was severe damage to the engine and they wanted to deplane the passenger on the taxiway via portable stairs. All crew members did an outstanding job.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: MD80 FLT CREW ENCOUNTERS A FLOCK OF GEESE ON CLBOUT RESULTING IN L ENG FAILURE. EMER DECLARED AND RETURNED FOR UNEVENTFUL LNDG.
Narrative: TOOK OFF RWY 4L. AFTER TKOF, WE WERE GIVEN A 90 DEG HDG AND AN ALT OF 4000 FT. AT APPROX 3000 FT AND 5-6 MI FROM THE FIELD, I NOTICED A FLOCK OF APPROX 20 GEESE. I CALLED OUT TO MY FO 'BIRDS' HE LOWERED THE NOSE TO TRY TO AVOID THEM BUT IT WAS TOO LATE. ABOUT 1/2 THE FLOCK PASSED BY ON EACH SIDE OF THE ACFT. IMMEDIATELY, THE L ENG SEIZED AND THE FIRE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. I DECLARED AN EMER. WE MADE A R-HAND TURN BACK TO THE FIELD TO LAND ON RWY 32L. ACCOMPLISHED ENG FIRE WARNING AND BEFORE LNDG CHKLISTS. AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG WAS MADE. AFTER LNDG, THE FIRE DEPT CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS NO FIRE BUT THAT THERE WAS SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE ENG AND THEY WANTED TO DEPLANE THE PAX ON THE TXWY VIA PORTABLE STAIRS. ALL CREW MEMBERS DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB.
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.