1992-04 · NASA ASRS report 206241
BIRD STRIKE (A VERY SINGULAR CASE WHERE THIS TYPE SMA HAD A FEATHERED PROP ON LNDG).
WHILE AT 1300 MSL OVER LAKE WASHINGTON WHILE APCHING RENTON MUNICIPAL ARPT FOR LNDG; 3 OR MORE LARGE BIRDS FLEW IN FRONT OF MY ACFT; AND AT LEAST 1 OF THEM STRUCK THE PROPELLER AND THEN THE LOWER PORTION OF THE COWLING; MAKING A VERY LOUD NOISE AND CAUSING THE LNDG LIGHT TO GO OUT. I NOTIFIED RENTON TWR IMMEDIATELY THAT I WANTED AN EMER LNDG FOR WHICH I WAS CLRED. I MADE A STEEP APCH WITH IDLE PWR AND FULL FLAPS AND LANDED ON RWY 15 (33 WAS IN USE). THE TWR CTLR PROVIDED WIND INFO WHILE I WAS ON SHORT FINAL AND ASKED IF I NEEDED ANY ASSISTANCE AFTER I HAD CLRED THE RWY. SHE THEN ASKED THAT I CALL HER VIA TELEPHONE AFTER I SECURED THE ACFT; WHICH I DID. SHE INQUIRED AS TO MY WELL-BEING AND AS TO ANY DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. OTHER THAN BLOOD; FEATHERS; AND A BROKEN LNDG LIGHT; THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. THE CTLR THEN TOOK MY NAME AND SAID THAT HER SUPVR MIGHT CONTACT ME IF HE NEEDED ANY MORE INFO. AS TO 'HUMAN PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS;' I THINK I COULD HAVE HANDLED THE SITUATION A LITTLE BETTER. ASKING FOR A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG WOULD HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENT RATHER THAN DECLARING AN EMER SINCE THE ONLY EVIDENT DAMAGE WAS THE LNDG LIGHT. UNFORTUNATELY; THE BIRD STARTLED ME SUCH THAT MY ONLY IMMEDIATE CONCERN WAS TO GET THE ACFT ONTO THE RWY IN CASE ANY SERIOUS DAMAGE HAD BEEN DONE. HAD IT BEEN DAYLIGHT AND I HAD SEEN THE BIRDS COMING I THINK I WOULD HAVE HANDLED IT BETTER. THE CTLR HANDLED HERSELF IN AN EXEMPLARY MANNER AND IS TO BE COMMENDED FOR HER CALM; PRACTICED RESPONSE AND HER OFFER OF ASSISTANCE. SHE WAS HELPFUL; PROFESSIONAL; AND FRIENDLY.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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