Incident Overview
A flightcrew reported that while on final approach for runway 9 at Memphis, between 1,700 and 2,000 feet above ground level (AGL) and at an airspeed of 250 knots, they encountered a flock of large birds. A bird penetrated the airplane under the captain's windshield, and bird remains entered the cockpit. The crew continued to Memphis and landed without further incident.
Damage Assessment
Inspection of the airplane by an FAA inspector after landing revealed damage to the area below the captain's windshield and two areas of damage on the right inboard wing area, all attributed to bird strikes.
Radar and Position Data
Radar data from the FAA Memphis Air Route Traffic Control Center indicated that at the time of the encounter, the flight was at approximately 35 degrees, 3 minutes, 34 seconds North latitude, and 90 degrees, 4 minutes, 59 seconds West longitude. This position was about 6 nautical miles west of Memphis International Airport.
Weather and Bird Activity Information
Personnel from FAA Memphis Approach Control stated that the Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS) information Romeo was in effect at the time, which included the 2353 surface weather observation. No bird activity was reported in that information.
Feather Analysis
Feathers recovered from the cockpit and wing area of the aircraft were examined by personnel at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. The feathers were identified as coming from a Snow Goose, with an average weight for this species of 2,450 grams.