Wildlife Strike Gallery

The remains of a tundra swan that was struck at night between New York and DC during a flight. The aircraft is a CRJ-700 and damage was sustained to the vertical stabilizer.

The remains of a tundra swan that was struck at night between New York and DC during a flight. The aircraft is a CRJ-700 and damage was sustained to the vertical stabilizer.

The remains of a tundra swan that was struck at night between New York and DC during a flight. The aircraft is a CRJ-700 and damage was sustained to the vertical stabilizer.

Boeing 737 hits a Blue Heron on final approach on May 18th, 2011.

Boeing 737 hits a Blue Heron on final approach on May 18th, 2011.

Boeing 737 hits a Blue Heron on final approach on May 18th, 2011.

Boeing 737 hits a Blue Heron on final approach on May 18th, 2011.

Boeing 737 hits a Blue Heron on final approach on May 18th, 2011.

Boeing 737 hits a Blue Heron on final approach on May 18th, 2011.

Boeing 737 hits a Blue Heron on final approach on May 18th, 2011.

737-300 strikes Canada geese while climbing at 800ft. Daytime. Ingestion. Number 2 engine sustained severe damage. A/C returned to airport. $750,000 in damage. 36 hrs out of service.

April 11, 2010 a privately owned PA-24 Comanche airplane was struck by a bald eagle near Middlefield, OH during descent. Minor injuries were sustained by both the pilot and a passenger. The pilot was able to safely land the airplane at Geauga County Airport (7GB). Damage to dashboard.

April 11, 2010 a privately owned PA-24 Comanche airplane was struck by a bald eagle near Middlefield, OH during descent. Minor injuries were sustained by both the pilot and a passenger. The pilot was able to safely land the airplane at Geauga County Airport (7GB). Damage to window and hood.

April 11, 2010 a privately owned PA-24 Comanche airplane was struck by a bald eagle near Middlefield, OH during descent. Minor injuries were sustained by both the pilot and a passenger. The pilot was able to safely land the airplane at Geauga County Airport (7GB). Damage to window.

April 11, 2010 a privately owned PA-24 Comanche airplane was struck by a bald eagle near Middlefield, OH during descent. Minor injuries were sustained by both the pilot and a passenger. The pilot was able to safely land the airplane at Geauga County Airport (7GB). Bald Eagle remains on passenger seat.

April 11, 2010 a privately owned PA-24 Comanche airplane was struck by a bald eagle near Middlefield, OH during descent. Minor injuries were sustained by both the pilot and a passenger. The pilot was able to safely land the airplane at Geauga County Airport (7GB). Damage to interior ceiling.

EMB-145 strikes at least one snow geese on approach. 6 miles from PHL at 2,000 ft. Nightime. Ingestion in #2 engine, engine shut down. Emergency declared. $305,000 in damage. 48 hrs out of service.

EMB-145 strikes at least one snow geese on approach. 6 miles from PHL at 2,000 ft. Nightime. Ingestion in #2 engine, engine shut down. Emergency declared. $305,000 in damage. 48 hrs out of service.

Oakland Int'l Airport, March 25, 2008.

Daytona Beach Int'l - March 17, 2008.

737-300 strikes flock of ring-billed gulls on landing roll. 17 gull carcasses recovered. Aircraft out of service for 24 hrs for cleaning but otherwise no damage. Daytime.

737-300 strikes flock of ring-billed gulls on landing roll. 17 gull carcasses recovered. Aircraft out of service for 24 hrs for cleaning but otherwise no damage. Daytime.

Tacoma Area - 2005.

Tacoma Area - 2005.

Wreckage of Cessa 172, Fatal Crash Site, Addison, TX.
Excerpt of Last Transmissions:
Pilot: "Mayday, Mayday, Mayday N166ME we are going down."
Tracon: "Where are you, and what can I do for you?"
Pilot: "Send somebody to pick us up, I think we are going to be fine, but we have struck a bird, we've got to go down. We can't keep it straight with the power on."
The pilot provided basic location and stated he was going to disconnect. The aircraft crashed 1.7 miles west of Areo County Airport, Frisco, TX at 1144C, July 8, 2003. The instructor pilot and student suffered fatal injuries.

Wreckage of Cessa 172, Fatal Crash Site, Addison, TX.
Excerpt of Last Transmissions:
Pilot: "Mayday, Mayday, Mayday N166ME we are going down."
Tracon: "Where are you, and what can I do for you?"
Pilot: "Send somebody to pick us up, I think we are going to be fine, but we have struck a bird, we've got to go down. We can't keep it straight with the power on."
The pilot provided basic location and stated he was going to disconnect. The aircraft crashed 1.7 miles west of Areo County Airport, Frisco, TX at 1144C, July 8, 2003. The instructor pilot and student suffered fatal injuries.

Lakefront Airport, LA - March 9, 2003.

Lakefront Airport, LA - March 9, 2003.

Lakefront Airport, LA - March 9, 2003.

Lakefront Airport, LA - March 9, 2003.

Lakefront Airport, LA - March 9, 2003.

Lakefront Airport, LA - March 9, 2003.

A Canadair CL-600 (Atlantic Coast Airlines) at Dulles International Airport (VA) struck 2 wild turkeys during the takeoff roll. One shattered the windshield spraying the cockpit with glass fragments and remains. Another hit the fuselage and was ingested. There was a 14- by 4-inch section of fuselage skin damaged below the windshield seal on the flight officer’s side. 53 passengers were uninjured. Cost of repairs estimated at $200,000. Time out of service was at least 2 weeks.

A Canadair CL-600 (Atlantic Coast Airlines) at Dulles International Airport (VA) struck 2 wild turkeys during the takeoff roll. One shattered the windshield spraying the cockpit with glass fragments and remains. Another hit the fuselage and was ingested. There was a 14- by 4-inch section of fuselage skin damaged below the windshield seal on the flight officer’s side. 53 passengers were uninjured. Cost of repairs estimated at $200,000. Time out of service was at least 2 weeks.

A Canadair CL-600 (Atlantic Coast Airlines) at Dulles International Airport (VA) struck 2 wild turkeys during the takeoff roll. One shattered the windshield spraying the cockpit with glass fragments and remains. Another hit the fuselage and was ingested. There was a 14- by 4-inch section of fuselage skin damaged below the windshield seal on the flight officer’s side. 53 passengers were uninjured. Cost of repairs estimated at $200,000. Time out of service was at least 2 weeks.

A Canadair CL-600 (Atlantic Coast Airlines) at Dulles International Airport (VA) struck 2 wild turkeys during the takeoff roll. One shattered the windshield spraying the cockpit with glass fragments and remains. Another hit the fuselage and was ingested. There was a 14- by 4-inch section of fuselage skin damaged below the windshield seal on the flight officer’s side. 53 passengers were uninjured. Cost of repairs estimated at $200,000. Time out of service was at least 2 weeks.

PORTLAND, OREGON, USA (Jan 21, 2001) (AP) – A Delta Airlines flight aborted takeoff at Portland International Airport yesterday after a bird was sucked into an engine. The MD-11 jet with 217 passengers was headed to Japan. The 3-engine jet skidded to the end of the runway and blew 2 tires during the abrupt stop.

PORTLAND, OREGON, USA (Jan 21, 2001) (AP) – A Delta Airlines flight aborted takeoff at Portland International Airport yesterday after a bird was sucked into an engine. The MD-11 jet with 217 passengers was headed to Japan. The 3-engine jet skidded to the end of the runway and blew 2 tires during the abrupt stop.

PORTLAND, OREGON, USA (Jan 21, 2001) (AP) – A Delta Airlines flight aborted takeoff at Portland International Airport yesterday after a bird was sucked into an engine. The MD-11 jet with 217 passengers was headed to Japan. The 3-engine jet skidded to the end of the runway and blew 2 tires during the abrupt stop.

PORTLAND, OREGON, USA (Jan 21, 2001) (AP) – A Delta Airlines flight aborted takeoff at Portland International Airport yesterday after a bird was sucked into an engine. The MD-11 jet with 217 passengers was headed to Japan. The 3-engine jet skidded to the end of the runway and blew 2 tires during the abrupt stop.

PORTLAND, OREGON, USA (Jan 21, 2001) (AP) – A Delta Airlines flight aborted takeoff at Portland International Airport yesterday after a bird was sucked into an engine. The MD-11 jet with 217 passengers was headed to Japan. The 3-engine jet skidded to the end of the runway and blew 2 tires during the abrupt stop.

PORTLAND, OREGON, USA (Jan 21, 2001) (AP) – A Delta Airlines flight aborted takeoff at Portland International Airport yesterday after a bird was sucked into an engine. The MD-11 jet with 217 passengers was headed to Japan. The 3-engine jet skidded to the end of the runway and blew 2 tires during the abrupt stop.

PORTLAND, OREGON, USA (Jan 21, 2001) (AP) – A Delta Airlines flight aborted takeoff at Portland International Airport yesterday after a bird was sucked into an engine. The MD-11 jet with 217 passengers was headed to Japan. The 3-engine jet skidded to the end of the runway and blew 2 tires during the abrupt stop.

PORTLAND, OREGON, USA (Jan 21, 2001) (AP) – A Delta Airlines flight aborted takeoff at Portland International Airport yesterday after a bird was sucked into an engine. The MD-11 jet with 217 passengers was headed to Japan. The 3-engine jet skidded to the end of the runway and blew 2 tires during the abrupt stop.

Nov 8, 2000, Aberdeen, SD. Hit snow geese. One struck windshield.

Nov 8, 2000, Aberdeen, SD. Closeup of impaled goose.

Side view.
On August 27, 2000, a KLM Boeing 747 departed from the Los Angeles International airport with 449 on board. The departure path passes over Dockweiler State Beach located at the end of runway 25 R. Soon after take-off, 500 ft AGL, two distinct loud bang were heard and fire was observed coming out of the #3 engine. Witnesses reported seeing parts of the engine falling off. The flight crew declared an emergency, dumped 166,000 lbs of fuel and returned safely to the airport.

On August 27, 2000, a KLM Boeing 747 departed from the Los Angeles International airport with 449 on board. The departure path passes over Dockweiler State Beach located at the end of runway 25 R. Soon after take-off, 500 ft AGL, two distinct loud bang were heard and fire was observed coming out of the #3 engine. Witnesses reported seeing parts of the engine falling off. The flight crew declared an emergency, dumped 166,000 lbs of fuel and returned safely to the airport. (Continued on next photo.)

(Continued from previous photo.)
This photo shows the outer cylinder of the engine exhaust nozzle landed on the beach about 35 ft from people. First news reports theorized that the incident might have been caused by a bird strike. However since no bird was observed nor any bird carcass found on the ground, the theory of a bird strike was discarded by the news media after a few days. During the NTSB investigation however, small amounts of debris resembling feather down and bone fragment were indeed found. These remains were sent to the Smithsonian Institution and were positively identified as being those of a Western Gull, a species with a mean body mass of 2.25 lbs. It is noteworthy that the damaged engine (GE CFS-50E2) is certified to withstand a 4-lb bird ingestion with no uncontained failure.

On August 27, 2000, a KLM Boeing 747 departed from the Los Angeles International airport with 449 on board. The departure path passes over Dockweiler State Beach located at the end of runway 25 R. Soon after take-off, 500 ft AGL, two distinct loud bang were heard and fire was observed coming out of the #3 engine. Witnesses reported seeing parts of the engine falling off. The flight crew declared an emergency, dumped 166,000 lbs of fuel and returned safely to the airport.

Side View.
On August 27, 2000, a KLM Boeing 747 departed from the Los Angeles International airport with 449 on board. The departure path passes over Dockweiler State Beach located at the end of runway 25 R. Soon after take-off, 500 ft AGL, two distinct loud bang were heard and fire was observed coming out of the #3 engine. Witnesses reported seeing parts of the engine falling off. The flight crew declared an emergency, dumped 166,000 lbs of fuel and returned safely to the airport.

A Piper PA-28 Warrior wing struck by an American bittern in Atlantic City, N.J., October 6, 1999 (Outboard view).

A Piper PA-28 Warrior wing struck by an American bittern in Atlantic City, N.J., October 6, 1999 (Inboard view).

As part of the Wildlife Strike Mitigation research, the FAA (AAR-410) is supporting the development of advanced bird identification techniques at the Smithsonian Institution located in Washington, DC. Positive bird identification is typically performed using bird remains and bird feathers and comparing these against the world’s largest database of bird feathers maintained by the Smithsonian Institution. The photo shows the nodes and internodes a feather barbule. When necessary, DNA tests are used to make a positive determination.