An AS50 pilot had a bird strike, landed to assess damages.

Attributes
ACN	500640
Time
Date	200102
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las.airport
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl single value : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	AS 350 Astar/Ecureuil
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 204 flight time total : 4200 flight time type : 36
ASRS Report	500640
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : birds other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

On jan/xa/01, while on a return flight to las from the west rim of the grand canyon at 4500 ft MSL flying wbound, I encountered a flock of ravens numbering approximately 10-12. I saw the birds at my 11 O'clock position above my flight altitude. I maintained course and altitude when the birds suddenly changed course and descended to a collision course with the left windscreen. I banked right and kicked the aircraft out of trim, but was unable to avoid a bird strike. One bird glanced off the windshield and fully impacted the left front door window. The rubber set window was knocked out of the door frame and into the cabin area with absolutely no injuries to the passenger onboard. I elected to make a precautionary landing on the shoreline of lake mead. Upon landing, I shut the aircraft down and inspected the aircraft for any additional damage -- none was found. I inspected the window and window channel and found it to be intact. I then elected to reinstall the rubber channel set door window. (I did not realize this action of reinstalling the rubber channel set window should have been completed by an a&P). I then continued the flight returning to las. It is now apparent to me I made an error in judgement by reinstalling the door window and continuing the flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AS50 PLT HAD A BIRD STRIKE, LANDED TO ASSESS DAMAGES.

Narrative: ON JAN/XA/01, WHILE ON A RETURN FLT TO LAS FROM THE W RIM OF THE GRAND CANYON AT 4500 FT MSL FLYING WBOUND, I ENCOUNTERED A FLOCK OF RAVENS NUMBERING APPROX 10-12. I SAW THE BIRDS AT MY 11 O'CLOCK POS ABOVE MY FLT ALT. I MAINTAINED COURSE AND ALT WHEN THE BIRDS SUDDENLY CHANGED COURSE AND DSNDED TO A COLLISION COURSE WITH THE L WINDSCREEN. I BANKED R AND KICKED THE ACFT OUT OF TRIM, BUT WAS UNABLE TO AVOID A BIRD STRIKE. ONE BIRD GLANCED OFF THE WINDSHIELD AND FULLY IMPACTED THE L FRONT DOOR WINDOW. THE RUBBER SET WINDOW WAS KNOCKED OUT OF THE DOOR FRAME AND INTO THE CABIN AREA WITH ABSOLUTELY NO INJURIES TO THE PAX ONBOARD. I ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG ON THE SHORELINE OF LAKE MEAD. UPON LNDG, I SHUT THE ACFT DOWN AND INSPECTED THE ACFT FOR ANY ADDITIONAL DAMAGE -- NONE WAS FOUND. I INSPECTED THE WINDOW AND WINDOW CHANNEL AND FOUND IT TO BE INTACT. I THEN ELECTED TO REINSTALL THE RUBBER CHANNEL SET DOOR WINDOW. (I DID NOT REALIZE THIS ACTION OF REINSTALLING THE RUBBER CHANNEL SET WINDOW SHOULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETED BY AN A&P). I THEN CONTINUED THE FLT RETURNING TO LAS. IT IS NOW APPARENT TO ME I MADE AN ERROR IN JUDGEMENT BY REINSTALLING THE DOOR WINDOW AND CONTINUING THE FLT.

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.