FLT CREW ARRIVED AT THE ACFT TO DISCOVER THAT THE CRJ200 HAD OBVIOUSLY BEEN INVOLVED IN A BIRD STRIKE. NO ACTION HAD BEEN TAKEN TO INSPECT THE ACFT SINCE IT HAD NOT BEEN REPORTED BY THE PREVIOUS FLT CREW.
Synopsis
FLT CREW ARRIVED AT THE ACFT TO DISCOVER THAT THE CRJ200 HAD OBVIOUSLY BEEN INVOLVED IN A BIRD STRIKE. NO ACTION HAD BEEN TAKEN TO INSPECT THE ACFT SINCE IT HAD NOT BEEN REPORTED BY THE PREVIOUS FLT CREW.
Narrative
UPON ARR AT THE ACFT; I FOUND THE FO'S FORWARD WINDSHIELD COVERED IN BLOOD; GUTS; AND FEATHERS FROM AN OBVIOUS BIRD STRIKE. THE MAINT LOG DID NOT CONTAIN ANY WRITE-UP FOR A BIRD STRIKE AND UPON INVESTIGATION I RECEIVED CONFLICTING INFO ON EXACTLY WHAT HAD BEEN RPTED AND BY WHOM. WHEN MAINT CTL WAS CONTACTED; I WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS THE CREW'S RESPONSIBILITY TO DETERMINE IF ANY DAMAGE WAS DONE; AND IF SO; TO WRITE IT UP. OTHERWISE; THE CREWS WERE INSTRUCTED TO 'CLEAN IT UP.' I FOUND THIS PROC TO BE SOMEWHAT ODD IN THAT I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED ANY INSTRUCTION IN DETERMINING POSSIBLE BIRD STRIKE DAMAGE AND; THEREFORE; WOULD BE UNABLE TO DETERMINE 'ANY AND ALL' DAMAGE THAT WOULD BE POSSIBLE FROM A BIRD STRIKE. MAINT INFORMED ME THAT THIS PROC HAD 'ALWAYS' BEEN IN PLACE AND WAS IN THE OPS MANUAL. WHEREUPON; I INFORMED MAINT CTL THAT I HAD BEEN HERE 20 YRS AND HAD NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING; SO I SERIOUSLY DOUBTED THAT IT HAD 'ALWAYS' BEEN IN PLACE. I COULD NOT FIND ANY INSTRUCTIONS IN THE OPS MANUAL REGARDING A BIRD STRIKE POLICY OR PROC FOR DETERMINING DAMAGE. I WROTE UP THE BIRD STRIKE AND HAD MAINT DO THE INSPECTION. IF THIS IS A PROC TO BE FOLLOWED; I WOULD EXPECT SOME KIND OF TRAINING OR GUIDANCE FOR THE PLTS TO DETERMINE IF ANY DAMAGE MAY HAVE OCCURRED. I WOULD ALSO EXPECT THAT THE CREW IN CHARGE OF AN ACFT WHEN THE BIRD STRIKE OCCURRED WOULD ALSO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR VERIFYING THAT THE INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED AND THE RESIDUAL CLEANED BEFORE LEAVING THE ACFT; OR A MAINT WRITE-UP BE PLACED IN THE BOOKS TO ENSURE THAT AN INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED. AT NO TIME SHOULD AN ACFT EVER BE LEFT WITH OBVIOUS BIRD STRIKE DEBRIS AND NO INDICATION THAT SOMEONE HAS TAKEN THE NECESSARY STEPS TO ENSURE THAT THE ACFT IS SAFE TO OPERATE.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.