Narrative:

On short final; I observed a flock of large gray birds pass slightly below and to the right of the aircraft. I also heard/felt a thump. I reported a possible bird strike to the tower; and also the company station manager after landing (the station manager took detailed information). We raised the slats/flaps per our after-landing checklist. The captain and I both made an extensive search for any damage or any sign of a bird strike; using pwrful flashlights. We both went over the aircraft twice. Unable to find any sign of a bird strike; we assumed the bird had hit the tire. It was totally dark and the aircraft was wet. Upon returning in the morning (same aircraft) we both repeated the search for damage; but it was still dark and wet. We flew the aircraft back to phx; and during the postflt inspection (by daylight) I found a slightly bent flap on the right wing; and a very faint impact mark under the flap; presumably from the bird. The aircraft was taken OTS for repair; and when the slats were lowered; blood was found on the right slat. My experience in this situation suggests that slats/flaps should be fully lowered during a preflight inspection when damage is suspected. Also; pwrful work lights should be used if these are available at the local station.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BIRD STRIKE DAMAGE INCURRED BY A CL65 GOES UNDISCOVERED THROUGH BOTH A POSTFLT AND SUBSEQUENT PREFLT INSPECTION. DAMAGE VISIBLE ONLY WITH FLAPS EXTENDED.

Narrative: ON SHORT FINAL; I OBSERVED A FLOCK OF LARGE GRAY BIRDS PASS SLIGHTLY BELOW AND TO THE R OF THE ACFT. I ALSO HEARD/FELT A THUMP. I RPTED A POSSIBLE BIRD STRIKE TO THE TWR; AND ALSO THE COMPANY STATION MGR AFTER LNDG (THE STATION MGR TOOK DETAILED INFO). WE RAISED THE SLATS/FLAPS PER OUR AFTER-LNDG CHKLIST. THE CAPT AND I BOTH MADE AN EXTENSIVE SEARCH FOR ANY DAMAGE OR ANY SIGN OF A BIRD STRIKE; USING PWRFUL FLASHLIGHTS. WE BOTH WENT OVER THE ACFT TWICE. UNABLE TO FIND ANY SIGN OF A BIRD STRIKE; WE ASSUMED THE BIRD HAD HIT THE TIRE. IT WAS TOTALLY DARK AND THE ACFT WAS WET. UPON RETURNING IN THE MORNING (SAME ACFT) WE BOTH REPEATED THE SEARCH FOR DAMAGE; BUT IT WAS STILL DARK AND WET. WE FLEW THE ACFT BACK TO PHX; AND DURING THE POSTFLT INSPECTION (BY DAYLIGHT) I FOUND A SLIGHTLY BENT FLAP ON THE R WING; AND A VERY FAINT IMPACT MARK UNDER THE FLAP; PRESUMABLY FROM THE BIRD. THE ACFT WAS TAKEN OTS FOR REPAIR; AND WHEN THE SLATS WERE LOWERED; BLOOD WAS FOUND ON THE R SLAT. MY EXPERIENCE IN THIS SIT SUGGESTS THAT SLATS/FLAPS SHOULD BE FULLY LOWERED DURING A PREFLT INSPECTION WHEN DAMAGE IS SUSPECTED. ALSO; PWRFUL WORK LIGHTS SHOULD BE USED IF THESE ARE AVAILABLE AT THE LCL STATION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.