Medium large transport aborts takeoff due to bird ingestion though unknown at time.

Attributes
ACN	276609
Time
Date	199407
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sdf
State Reference	KY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	276609
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 11000
ASRS Report	276141
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : rejected takeoff
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

First officer takeoff on runway 19 at sdf. At 140 KTS (approximately 5 KTS less than V1) aircraft struck something on left side in vicinity of #1 engine or left main landing gear. Takeoff was aborted successfully and taxied into runup pad. Aircraft inspected by airport fire department. Blood smear found on inlet of #1 engine. Main tires were intact. All 4 main landing gear tires deflated (thermal fuse plugs melted) 10 mins after stopping aircraft. No injuries were sustained. Passenger were disembarked via portable airstair and delivered to terminal by bus. Subsequent investigation disclosed that a large bird (hawk) had been ingested by the #1 engine. Human performance: captain performed aborted takeoff procedures by the book. First officer performed communications procedures by the book. Captain's dilemma: will aircraft fly safely after striking unknown object. Will aircraft stop safely on runway if takeoff aborted. Unofficial administrative action: captain is criticized for making high speed abort. Suggestion: this incident provides some verification that high speed aborts (below V1) can be managed successfully. This captain made a valid decision based on the information available and should not be subject to criticism or second-guessing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG ABORTS TKOF DUE TO BIRD INGESTION THOUGH UNKNOWN AT TIME.

Narrative: FO TKOF ON RWY 19 AT SDF. AT 140 KTS (APPROX 5 KTS LESS THAN V1) ACFT STRUCK SOMETHING ON L SIDE IN VICINITY OF #1 ENG OR L MAIN LNDG GEAR. TKOF WAS ABORTED SUCCESSFULLY AND TAXIED INTO RUNUP PAD. ACFT INSPECTED BY ARPT FIRE DEPT. BLOOD SMEAR FOUND ON INLET OF #1 ENG. MAIN TIRES WERE INTACT. ALL 4 MAIN LNDG GEAR TIRES DEFLATED (THERMAL FUSE PLUGS MELTED) 10 MINS AFTER STOPPING ACFT. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. PAX WERE DISEMBARKED VIA PORTABLE AIRSTAIR AND DELIVERED TO TERMINAL BY BUS. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED THAT A LARGE BIRD (HAWK) HAD BEEN INGESTED BY THE #1 ENG. HUMAN PERFORMANCE: CAPT PERFORMED ABORTED TKOF PROCS BY THE BOOK. FO PERFORMED COMS PROCS BY THE BOOK. CAPT'S DILEMMA: WILL ACFT FLY SAFELY AFTER STRIKING UNKNOWN OBJECT. WILL ACFT STOP SAFELY ON RWY IF TKOF ABORTED. UNOFFICIAL ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION: CAPT IS CRITICIZED FOR MAKING HIGH SPD ABORT. SUGGESTION: THIS INCIDENT PROVIDES SOME VERIFICATION THAT HIGH SPD ABORTS (BELOW V1) CAN BE MANAGED SUCCESSFULLY. THIS CAPT MADE A VALID DECISION BASED ON THE INFO AVAILABLE AND SHOULD NOT BE SUBJECT TO CRITICISM OR SECOND-GUESSING.

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.