FLT CREW OF LJ35 EXPERIENCE BIRD STRIKE ON TKOF FROM MMU. FAILED TO ENTER INTO MAINT LOG OR GET APPROPRIATE INSPECTION.

Date: 2004-05 · Aircraft: Learjet 35 · Phase: takeoff

Anomalies: deviation-discrepancy-procedural-maintenance|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy|inflight-event-encounter-bird-animal

Synopsis

FLT CREW OF LJ35 EXPERIENCE BIRD STRIKE ON TKOF FROM MMU. FAILED TO ENTER INTO MAINT LOG OR GET APPROPRIATE INSPECTION.

Narrative

JUST AFTER TKOF; I CALLED FOR 'GEAR UP.' I HEARD A LOUD BANG WITH EVIDENCE ON THE CO-PLT'S WINDSCREEN THAT WE HIT A BIRD. WE IMMEDIATELY INFORMED TWR THAT WE HAD ENCOUNTERED A BIRD STRIKE AND WERE RETURNING TO LAND. AFTER LNDG; WE TAXIED IN; GOT OUT AND INSPECTED THE ACFT. THERE WAS A SMALL DENT ON THE NOSE (AVIONICS BAY METAL PANEL ON CO-PLT'S SIDE OF ACFT). I TELEPHONED MY CHIEF PLT; EXPLAINED THE SIT AND INFORMED HIM THAT I WAS CONFIDENT THAT THE ACFT WAS SAFE TO FLY. HE INFORMED ME THAT IF I FELT IT WAS SAFE TO FLY; I WAS LEGAL TO COMPLETE THE TRIP. I COMPLETED THE TRIP; THEN RETURNED TO HOME BASE. DURING THE COMPLETION OF THE TRIP; I THOUGHT ABOUT THE EVENTS AND FELT UNCOMFORTABLE ABOUT NOT ENTERING THE BIRD STRIKE IN THE ACFT LOG. I SPOKE TO OUR MAINT MGR. HE INFORMED ME THAT I WAS REQUIRED BY FAA REGS TO WRITE UP THE BIRD STRIKE. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE AT MMU; WHERE THE STRIKE OCCURRED. THEN A MECH WOULD HAVE INSPECTED THE DENT TO DETERMINE ITS AIRWORTHINESS AND SIGNED IT OFF IF IT PASSED. AS IT TURNED OUT; OUR MAINT FOUND ANOTHER BIRD CARCASS EMBEDDED INSIDE THE R WHEEL WELL BEHIND THE GEAR DOOR. APPARENTLY; A SECOND BIRD HIT AFTER THE GEAR RETRACTED; BUT BEFORE THE INBOUND GEAR DOOR CLOSED. THIS STRIKE WAS UNDETECTED FROM VISUAL WALKAROUND INSPECTION. UPON TAXIING OUT; I NOTICED AN AMBER LIGHT ON INDICATING WE HAD A VALVE POS OPEN; WITH A SWITCH POS CLOSED. I CALLED OUR MAINT DEPT. THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS OK TO GO WITH THIS PROB. I FOUND OUT LATER; AFTER RETURNING; THAT THIS VALVE IS LOCATED IN THE R WHEEL WELL WHERE THE BIRD STRUCK. IF I HAD WRITTEN UP THE STRIKE AT MMU; A MECH WOULD HAVE HAD TO INSPECT THE ACFT AND KNOWING ABOUT THE DISAGREEMENT LIGHT; PROBABLY WOULD HAVE INSPECTED THE R WHEEL WELL SUSPECTING SOMETHING; AND PROPERLY GND THE ACFT OR SIGN IT OFF. I THOUGHT I ONLY NEEDED TO WRITE UP DISCREPANCIES THAT WERE MECHANICAL IN NATURE AND NOT MEL'ABLE. A LESSON WAS WELL LEARNED. NEXT TIME I WILL WRITE UP ANY AND ALL DISCREPANCIES. ALSO; IF I GET 1 BIRD STRIKE; I WILL INSPECT THE ENTIRE ACFT. 'BIRDS OF A FEATHER FLOCK TOGETHER.'

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.