B737-500 CREW HAD A BIRD STRIKE ON TKOF THAT DAMAGED #1 ENG FAN BLADES.

Narrative

ACFT DEPARTING RWY 22L ENCOUNTERED BIRD STRIKE ON ROTATION APPROX 5000 FT DOWN RWY. FLT CREW HEARD LOUD NOISE WITH BIRD STRIKE. THE NOISE CONTINUED; AND CREW ALSO NOTICED PARTIAL LOSS OF PWR ON L ENG (TYPE B737-500). ACFT YAW WAS ALSO NOTICED. L ENG PWR WAS LOWER BY APPROX 4% N1 AND N2. CREW DECIDED THAT RETURN TO ARPT WAS SAFEST COURSE OF ACTION. AFTER BRIEFING CABIN CREW; THE ACFT WAS GIVEN ATC INSTRUCTIONS FOR A RETURN VISUAL APCH RWY 27L. LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL USING NORMAL SOP'S. UPON ARR AT GATE; IT BECAME EVIDENT THAT THE BIRD HAD BEEN INGESTED PARTIALLY INTO THE L ENG; DISTORTING SEVERAL FAN BLADES. DISPATCH NOTIFIED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 574545: LARGE BIRD STRUCK L SIDE OF NOSE JUST AFTER LIFTOFF. LOUD NOISE BEGUN SHORTLY AFTER; AND CONTINUED UNTIL END OF FLT -- INDICATIVE OF ENG DAMAGE. #1 ENG INDICATIONS WERE RELATIVELY NORMAL; ALTHOUGH NUMBERS SLIGHTLY LESS THAN #2'S READINGS (AS IF AT SLIGHTLY LESS PWR). VIBRATIONS NORMAL. LANDED ASAP RWY 27L. POST-LNDG INSPECTION SHOWED STRIKE L SIDE OF RADOME; BIRD SPLATTER BTWN ACFT BODY AND #1 ENG; AND BIRD IMPACT INSIDE #1 ENG WALL FORWARD OF FAN BLADES. EXTENSIVE FAN BLADE DAMAGE.