Narrative:

After passing ziggi intersection, ny approach control cleared us to descend from 8000 to 1500 heading 050, vectors for a visual approach 4L to hold short at jfk. At approximately 5000 MSL the landing lights were turned on during the descent. At approximately 3500 MSL in the descent we flew into a flock of canadian geese. (Approximately 30-40 birds). We heard many impacts and immediately noticed the loss of #2 hydraulic system pressure and illumination of the #3 and #4 hydraulic pump caution lights. The aircraft had a pronounced vibration and the #3 engine torque gauge was indicating an overtorque condition in excess of 6000 pounds (4860 normal maximum). The captain maintained control of the aircraft and slowly leveled off at 2000 MSL. The captain elected to shut down #3 engine because the overtorque condition did not respond to reducing the power lever to idle. The engine was secured according to checklist and feathered normally. Since the loss of #2 hydraulic meant we would have to manually extend the landing gear we requested and were granted permission from kennedy tower for a left 360 turn on base leg for 31L (more favorable runway). During the turn we accomplished the manual gear extension using the checklist and all 3 indicated green. A normal landing was accomplished and the aircraft parked with no further damage. Damage to the aircraft included a 2' hole in the leading edge of the right wing inboard of #3 engine, the inboard exhaust stack of #4 engine was crushed, the upper VHF antenna was impacted by a goose as well as several other sheet metal dents on other parts of the aircraft. While I don't think there is much that even NASA can do about geese flying without lights at night, I would like to commend the training department here on preparing us to handle the multiple problems we had quickly and efficiently enabling us to conclude this incident with no injuries to passenger or crew and no further damage to the aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER ACR MDT FLIES INTO FLOCK OF GEESE AT 3500' WHILE ON APCH INTO JFK AT NIGHT. HYDRAULIC FAILURE, ENGINE SHUTDOWN, WING DAMAGE, AND ENGINE DAMAGE RESULTED.

Narrative: AFTER PASSING ZIGGI INTXN, NY APCH CTL CLRED US TO DSND FROM 8000 TO 1500 HDG 050, VECTORS FOR A VISUAL APCH 4L TO HOLD SHORT AT JFK. AT APPROX 5000 MSL THE LNDG LIGHTS WERE TURNED ON DURING THE DSCNT. AT APPROX 3500 MSL IN THE DSCNT WE FLEW INTO A FLOCK OF CANADIAN GEESE. (APPROX 30-40 BIRDS). WE HEARD MANY IMPACTS AND IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THE LOSS OF #2 HYDRAULIC SYSTEM PRESSURE AND ILLUMINATION OF THE #3 AND #4 HYDRAULIC PUMP CAUTION LIGHTS. THE ACFT HAD A PRONOUNCED VIBRATION AND THE #3 ENGINE TORQUE GAUGE WAS INDICATING AN OVERTORQUE CONDITION IN EXCESS OF 6000 LBS (4860 NORMAL MAX). THE CAPT MAINTAINED CONTROL OF THE ACFT AND SLOWLY LEVELED OFF AT 2000 MSL. THE CAPT ELECTED TO SHUT DOWN #3 ENGINE BECAUSE THE OVERTORQUE CONDITION DID NOT RESPOND TO REDUCING THE POWER LEVER TO IDLE. THE ENGINE WAS SECURED ACCORDING TO CHECKLIST AND FEATHERED NORMALLY. SINCE THE LOSS OF #2 HYDRAULIC MEANT WE WOULD HAVE TO MANUALLY EXTEND THE LNDG GEAR WE REQUESTED AND WERE GRANTED PERMISSION FROM KENNEDY TWR FOR A LEFT 360 TURN ON BASE LEG FOR 31L (MORE FAVORABLE RWY). DURING THE TURN WE ACCOMPLISHED THE MANUAL GEAR EXTENSION USING THE CHECKLIST AND ALL 3 INDICATED GREEN. A NORMAL LNDG WAS ACCOMPLISHED AND THE ACFT PARKED WITH NO FURTHER DAMAGE. DAMAGE TO THE ACFT INCLUDED A 2' HOLE IN THE LEADING EDGE OF THE RIGHT WING INBOARD OF #3 ENGINE, THE INBOARD EXHAUST STACK OF #4 ENGINE WAS CRUSHED, THE UPPER VHF ANTENNA WAS IMPACTED BY A GOOSE AS WELL AS SEVERAL OTHER SHEET METAL DENTS ON OTHER PARTS OF THE ACFT. WHILE I DON'T THINK THERE IS MUCH THAT EVEN NASA CAN DO ABOUT GEESE FLYING WITHOUT LIGHTS AT NIGHT, I WOULD LIKE TO COMMEND THE TRAINING DEPT HERE ON PREPARING US TO HANDLE THE MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WE HAD QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY ENABLING US TO CONCLUDE THIS INCIDENT WITH NO INJURIES TO PAX OR CREW AND NO FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE ACFT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.