American Airlines transatlantic flight reports bird strike after Charlotte departure
An American Airlines Boeing 777 bound for London reported striking birds on its nose cone during climb out from Charlotte. The crew continued the flight after checks found the aircraft operating normally.
An American Airlines transatlantic flight struck birds shortly after leaving Charlotte Douglas International Airport on Tuesday evening, according to the airline's account of the flight.
The aircraft, a Boeing 777-223ER registered as N774AN, pushed back from the gate on October 6 and departed shortly before 11:00 PM EDT for London Heathrow Airport. The scheduled nonstop crossing was listed at eight hours and five minutes.
During the initial climb, the flight crew reported a double bird strike on the lower section of the radome, the nose cone that houses the aircraft's weather radar equipment.
The crew worked through standard procedures, checking primary systems and flight parameters. All systems were reported as performing normally, with no sign of structural damage or instrument failure. The pilots decided to continue to London rather than return to Charlotte or divert.
Air traffic control was notified, and the airline's engineering and maintenance teams in London were contacted ahead of arrival so the nose cone could receive a precautionary visual inspection after landing at Heathrow.
The aircraft is 27 years old and part of the carrier's long-haul international fleet.
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Sources
- airlive.netAmerican Airlines AA734 reported a double bird strike on climb out from Charlotte