Canadian geese bird strike during approach at 4000 ft.

Attributes
ACN	323123
Time
Date	199512
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	other other : other pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 143 flight time type : 2570
ASRS Report	323123
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Cold, clear night making a visual approach to runway 27L at ord. ATIS had common remark of birds in vicinity of airport but no mention of type or numbers. Approximately 4000 ft MSL on localizer we took what I believed to be 1 bird strike on the nose of the aircraft, both windshields covered with remains. All flight and engine instruments normal so we continued approach and made normal landing. At the gate inspection showed that we had hit 10-15 canadian geese with radome, fuselage, wing, and horizontal stabilizer damage. When I called the tower on the phone to report the strike, the supervisor told me that they had so many geese in the area that you could see them on the radar! Had a remark to this effect been on the ATIS I might have been more cautious in my approach and I would have had a better idea of the possible damage that we incurred, instead I was thinking that I had hit a robin or sparrow, or some other light weight fowl. While I'm not sure this information would have prevented our strike, it might have helped me better evaluate/understand our status had system malfunctions begun to develop. I believe this would fall into the category of communications breakdown.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CANADIAN GEESE BIRD STRIKE DURING APCH AT 4000 FT.

Narrative: COLD, CLR NIGHT MAKING A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 27L AT ORD. ATIS HAD COMMON REMARK OF BIRDS IN VICINITY OF ARPT BUT NO MENTION OF TYPE OR NUMBERS. APPROX 4000 FT MSL ON LOC WE TOOK WHAT I BELIEVED TO BE 1 BIRD STRIKE ON THE NOSE OF THE ACFT, BOTH WINDSHIELDS COVERED WITH REMAINS. ALL FLT AND ENG INSTS NORMAL SO WE CONTINUED APCH AND MADE NORMAL LNDG. AT THE GATE INSPECTION SHOWED THAT WE HAD HIT 10-15 CANADIAN GEESE WITH RADOME, FUSELAGE, WING, AND HORIZ STABILIZER DAMAGE. WHEN I CALLED THE TWR ON THE PHONE TO RPT THE STRIKE, THE SUPVR TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD SO MANY GEESE IN THE AREA THAT YOU COULD SEE THEM ON THE RADAR! HAD A REMARK TO THIS EFFECT BEEN ON THE ATIS I MIGHT HAVE BEEN MORE CAUTIOUS IN MY APCH AND I WOULD HAVE HAD A BETTER IDEA OF THE POSSIBLE DAMAGE THAT WE INCURRED, INSTEAD I WAS THINKING THAT I HAD HIT A ROBIN OR SPARROW, OR SOME OTHER LIGHT WT FOWL. WHILE I'M NOT SURE THIS INFO WOULD HAVE PREVENTED OUR STRIKE, IT MIGHT HAVE HELPED ME BETTER EVALUATE/UNDERSTAND OUR STATUS HAD SYS MALFUNCTIONS BEGUN TO DEVELOP. I BELIEVE THIS WOULD FALL INTO THE CATEGORY OF COMS BREAKDOWN.

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.