Narrative:

Just prior to rotation on runway 36R at dfw, a large flock of birds began to fly into the path of our aircraft, coming from the right side of the runway and moving across the runway. I rotated the aircraft and we were struck with what turned out to be 340 birds -- on every part of the aircraft. All engine readings were normal, egt's were normal, but I had no way of telling what damage had occurred to the aircraft. I elected to return to land, and declared an emergency to tower, and turned left for downwind pattern. We were cleared to land runway 36L and did so without event. Aircraft weight was 143000 pounds and sink rate was about 150-200 FPM at touchdown. After clearing the runway I requested a visual check by crash fire rescue equipment personnel to confirm no smoke or obvious damage for taxi in. Once completed, I taxied to spot xx and shut down for tow-in to the gate. Substantial damage was found on various parts of the aircraft, and there was never a question as to the further continuance of the flight. No smoke entered the cabin, but air conditioning odors were strong and the flight attendants were concerned about it. I would like to add that the first officer was very good in responding to the situation, and is to be commended in his performance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80S ACFT HAD MASSIVE BIRD STRIKE JUST PRIOR TO ROTATION. THOUGH ENG PARAMETERS APPEARED NORMAL, CAPT RPTR DECLARED EMER AND RETURN LAND OVERWT. EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO ACFT.

Narrative: JUST PRIOR TO ROTATION ON RWY 36R AT DFW, A LARGE FLOCK OF BIRDS BEGAN TO FLY INTO THE PATH OF OUR ACFT, COMING FROM THE R SIDE OF THE RWY AND MOVING ACROSS THE RWY. I ROTATED THE ACFT AND WE WERE STRUCK WITH WHAT TURNED OUT TO BE 340 BIRDS -- ON EVERY PART OF THE ACFT. ALL ENG READINGS WERE NORMAL, EGT'S WERE NORMAL, BUT I HAD NO WAY OF TELLING WHAT DAMAGE HAD OCCURRED TO THE ACFT. I ELECTED TO RETURN TO LAND, AND DECLARED AN EMER TO TWR, AND TURNED L FOR DOWNWIND PATTERN. WE WERE CLRED TO LAND RWY 36L AND DID SO WITHOUT EVENT. ACFT WT WAS 143000 LBS AND SINK RATE WAS ABOUT 150-200 FPM AT TOUCHDOWN. AFTER CLRING THE RWY I REQUESTED A VISUAL CHK BY CFR PERSONNEL TO CONFIRM NO SMOKE OR OBVIOUS DAMAGE FOR TAXI IN. ONCE COMPLETED, I TAXIED TO SPOT XX AND SHUT DOWN FOR TOW-IN TO THE GATE. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WAS FOUND ON VARIOUS PARTS OF THE ACFT, AND THERE WAS NEVER A QUESTION AS TO THE FURTHER CONTINUANCE OF THE FLT. NO SMOKE ENTERED THE CABIN, BUT AIR CONDITIONING ODORS WERE STRONG AND THE FLT ATTENDANTS WERE CONCERNED ABOUT IT. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT THE FO WAS VERY GOOD IN RESPONDING TO THE SIT, AND IS TO BE COMMENDED IN HIS PERFORMANCE.

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.