BIRD STRIKE ON TKOF. RETURN LAND.

Narrative

DURING TKOF AT NEW ORLEANS; LA; CAPT WAS FLYING; FO CALLED OUT V1; VR; V2. NOSEWHEEL WAS JUST COMING OFF THE GND WHEN A LOUD BANG WAS HEARD; ACCOMPANIED BY A BAD SMELL AND A FLASH OR EXPLOSION RPTED BY BOTH PAX AND THE NEW ORLEANS TWR FROM THE L SIDE OF THE ACFT. TKOF WAS CONTINUED (WE WERE BEYOND V1) AND ALL FLT CHARACTERISTICS WERE NORMAL AND ALL ENG PARAMETERS CONTINUED TO SHOW AND OPERATE NORMALLY. AN OFF DUTY PLT RIDING IN THE CABIN; SITTING NEXT TO THE L ENG; RPTED IN HIS OPINION IT WAS THE L ENG THAT CAUSED THE FLASH OF LIGHT AND FORWARDED THE IDEA OF A POSSIBLE BIRD INGESTION. BIRDS WERE RPTED ON THE ATIS. THIS WOULD ACCOUNT FOR THE FLASH OF LIGHT; LOUD BANG (COMPRESSOR STALL) AND BAD SMELL COMING THROUGH AIR CONDITIONING DUCTS. WE MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG BACK AT NEW ORLEANS WITH THE FIRE EQUIP STANDING BY (IN CASE OF A POSSIBLE BLOWN TIRE). FLT ATTENDANTS AND PAX WERE PREPARED FOR ALL EVENTUALITIES UPON TOUCHDOWN. THE LNDG WAS NORMAL; NO SIGNS OF FIRE OR SMOKE (AS RPTED BY THE TWR AND FIRE FIGHTING CREW) AND WE TAXIED TO THE GATE. UPON VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE L ENG; BLOOD WAS SEEN OVER SEVERAL FAN AND STATOR VANES; INCREASING THE LIKELIHOOD OF THE BIRD INGESTION THEORY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 238598: AN EMER WAS DECLARED AND AN APCH AND RETURN TO MSY WAS EXECUTED.