AN ACR MD80 CAPT RPTS THAT HIS L ENG INGESTED A SEAGULL ON TKOF.

Narrative

ON TKOF WE HIT A SEAGULL ON THE L SIDE WITH A LOSS OF PWR AND A VIBRATION. WE FINISHED THE AFTER TKOF CHKLIST AND ACCOMPLISHED THE ENG FAILURE CHKLIST WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SHUTTING DOWN THE ENG. THE GEAR WAS STILL SHOWING RED LIGHTS; SO IT COULD HAVE BEEN A DOOR. AFTER THE GEAR WAS FULLY RETRACTED; THE VIBRATION CONTINUED; SO I THEN SHUT DOWN THE ENG. THE VIBRATION STOPPED AND WE MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG AT LAX. THE ENG WAS TRASH. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE FO WAS FLYING THE ACFT; AN ACR MD80. THE CAPT DID NOT SEE THE BIRD. BUT THE FO DID AND CALLED IT OUT AS IT PASSED THE WINDSCREEN. AS THE GEAR AND FLAPS WERE DOWN; THE RPTR WAS NOT SURE THAT HIS ENG HAD SWALLOWED A BIRD AS THE ENG WAS SHOWING NO FAULTY INDICATIONS AFTER THE THROTTLE WAS REDUCED TO IDLE. THERE WAS NO COMPLETE BLADE IN THE FRONT ROW OF THE ENG. IT 'LOOKED LIKE A TULIP; NOT AN ENG.' THERE WAS NO BIRD INFO ON EITHER THE ATIS OR NOTAM. THE CAPT CHOSE TO RETURN/LAND ON THE TKOF RWY VICE ITS RECIPROCAL AS THERE WAS A MARINE LAYER PREVENTING A VMC APCH TO THE RECIPROCAL. THE BIRD STRIKE OCCURRED AT 250 FT AGL.