Narrative:

While at 1300 MSL over lake washington while approaching renton municipal airport for landing, 3 or more large birds flew in front of my aircraft, and at least 1 of them struck the propeller and then the lower portion of the cowling, making a very loud noise and causing the landing light to go out. I notified renton tower immediately that I wanted an emergency landing for which I was cleared. I made a steep approach with idle power and full flaps and landed on runway 15 (33 was in use). The tower controller provided wind information while I was on short final and asked if I needed any assistance after I had cleared the runway. She then asked that I call her via telephone after I secured the aircraft, which I did. She inquired as to my well-being and as to any damage to the aircraft. Other than blood, feathers, and a broken landing light, there was no damage to the aircraft. The controller then took my name and said that her supervisor might contact me if he needed any more information. As to 'human performance considerations,' I think I could have handled the situation a little better. Asking for a precautionary landing would have been sufficient rather than declaring an emergency since the only evident damage was the landing light. Unfortunately, the bird startled me such that my only immediate concern was to get the aircraft onto the runway in case any serious damage had been done. Had it been daylight and I had seen the birds coming I think I would have handled it better. The controller handled herself in an exemplary manner and is to be commended for her calm, practiced response and her offer of assistance. She was helpful, professional, and friendly.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BIRD STRIKE (A VERY SINGULAR CASE WHERE THIS TYPE SMA HAD A FEATHERED PROP ON LNDG).

Narrative: WHILE AT 1300 MSL OVER LAKE WASHINGTON WHILE APCHING RENTON MUNICIPAL ARPT FOR LNDG, 3 OR MORE LARGE BIRDS FLEW IN FRONT OF MY ACFT, AND AT LEAST 1 OF THEM STRUCK THE PROPELLER AND THEN THE LOWER PORTION OF THE COWLING, MAKING A VERY LOUD NOISE AND CAUSING THE LNDG LIGHT TO GO OUT. I NOTIFIED RENTON TWR IMMEDIATELY THAT I WANTED AN EMER LNDG FOR WHICH I WAS CLRED. I MADE A STEEP APCH WITH IDLE PWR AND FULL FLAPS AND LANDED ON RWY 15 (33 WAS IN USE). THE TWR CTLR PROVIDED WIND INFO WHILE I WAS ON SHORT FINAL AND ASKED IF I NEEDED ANY ASSISTANCE AFTER I HAD CLRED THE RWY. SHE THEN ASKED THAT I CALL HER VIA TELEPHONE AFTER I SECURED THE ACFT, WHICH I DID. SHE INQUIRED AS TO MY WELL-BEING AND AS TO ANY DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. OTHER THAN BLOOD, FEATHERS, AND A BROKEN LNDG LIGHT, THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. THE CTLR THEN TOOK MY NAME AND SAID THAT HER SUPVR MIGHT CONTACT ME IF HE NEEDED ANY MORE INFO. AS TO 'HUMAN PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS,' I THINK I COULD HAVE HANDLED THE SITUATION A LITTLE BETTER. ASKING FOR A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG WOULD HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENT RATHER THAN DECLARING AN EMER SINCE THE ONLY EVIDENT DAMAGE WAS THE LNDG LIGHT. UNFORTUNATELY, THE BIRD STARTLED ME SUCH THAT MY ONLY IMMEDIATE CONCERN WAS TO GET THE ACFT ONTO THE RWY IN CASE ANY SERIOUS DAMAGE HAD BEEN DONE. HAD IT BEEN DAYLIGHT AND I HAD SEEN THE BIRDS COMING I THINK I WOULD HAVE HANDLED IT BETTER. THE CTLR HANDLED HERSELF IN AN EXEMPLARY MANNER AND IS TO BE COMMENDED FOR HER CALM, PRACTICED RESPONSE AND HER OFFER OF ASSISTANCE. SHE WAS HELPFUL, PROFESSIONAL, AND FRIENDLY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.