BEECH 300 CPR PLT STRUCK SEA GULLS DURING LNDG FLARE CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE R WING LEADING EDGE.

Narrative

ACFT ESTABLISHED ON ILS RWY 9R PONTIAC; MI; ON 1 1/2 MI FINAL; PELTING RAIN BEGAN DUE TO CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY; 5-7 NM NNE OF THE ARPT (VMC PRIOR). THE PNF ACTIVATED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS (500 FT AGL). THE ILS APCH WAS CONTINUED USING FLT DIRECTOR ASSISTANCE. AS THE ACFT APCHED THE 1000 FT FIXED DISTANCE MARKERS; A FLOCK OF SEA GULLS (APPROX 20-30 BIRDS) FLEW FROM THAT AREA. AS THE ACFT WAS ALREADY FLARING FOR LNDG STRIKING THE BIRDS WAS UNAVOIDABLE. DUE TO RAIN/WINDSHIELD WIPER INTERFERENCE; IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE FOR THE PF TO SEE THE BIRD HAZARD. THE FO STATED THAT HE DID NOT SEE THE BIRD HAZARD UNTIL THE FLARE FOR LNDG HAD BEEN INITIATED; AND OBSERVED BIRDS IN GAR PATH. THE ACFT STRUCK SEVERAL BIRDS; RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE R WING. THE REST OF THE LNDG ROLL WAS NORMAL; NO DIRECTIONAL CTL PROBS. THE PONTIAC TWR DID NOT ADVISE OF ANY POTENTIAL BIRD STRIKE HAZARD. THE RWY 9R TOUCHDOWN ZONE AREA IS HIGHLY VISIBLE FROM THE TWR. THE ARPT MGR OBVIOUSLY KNOWS THAT THERE IS A BIRD PROB. BY FAILING TO ADVISE THE AIR CREW OF BIRDS ON THE RWY; A POTENTIALLY LETHAL SIT WAS CREATED. THERE WAS VERY LIGHT TFC AT THE ARPT. LUCKILY; THE ONLY DAMAGE WAS TO THE R WING! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE DENTS IN THE WING LEADING EDGE WERE NOT CLASSIFIED IN THE ACCIDENT CATEGORY EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS TO FIX THE WING. HE DID TALK FURTHER WITH THE TWR CTLR REGARDING AN ADVISORY; AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS AN AREA SHIELDED FROM THE CTLR'S VIEW IN WHICH THE BIRDS WERE LOCATED. ALSO ADVISED THAT THE ARPT AUTH HAD A BIRD RATIFICATION PROGRAM IN AFFECT.