MD88 strikes large bird on runway during takeoff roll just prior to liftoff resulting in loss of nose gear steering when turning in to the gate for parking. The aircraft's nose gear steering and light assembly were damaged and broken.

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Attributes
ACN	516585
Time
Date	200105
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mob.airport
State Reference	AL
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mob.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 4200
ASRS Report	516585
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters : animal other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Environmental Factor Aircraft
Primary Problem	Environmental Factor

Narrative:

On takeoff roll at 120 KTS (V1 was 130 KTS) a large bird walked directly in front of my nose gear. I felt my nose gear hit the bird. No abnormal engine or any other indications, so I continued the takeoff. With thunderstorms in the area, I decided to put the gear up and continue the flight. After airborne, I called airline maintenance and dispatcher and they agreed it was ok to continue to atlanta, GA. Normal flight, approach and landing. Note: as I made my last 90 degree left turn in to gate xx in atlanta, I lost all nosewheel steering. Maintenance came out and found the bird's remains in my steering bypass mechanism. They cleaned out the bird and towed aircraft in to the gate. The left front nose gear light bulb was broken and the light bracket was bent and had interfered with the nose gear bypass mechanism. Information: after the bird strike on the ground I notified mob tower to check their runway for bird debris.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD88 STRIKES LARGE BIRD ON RWY DURING TKOF ROLL JUST PRIOR TO LIFTOFF RESULTING IN LOSS OF NOSE GEAR STEERING WHEN TURNING IN TO THE GATE FOR PARKING. THE ACFT'S NOSE GEAR STEERING AND LIGHT ASSEMBLY WERE DAMAGED AND BROKEN.

Narrative: ON TKOF ROLL AT 120 KTS (V1 WAS 130 KTS) A LARGE BIRD WALKED DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF MY NOSE GEAR. I FELT MY NOSE GEAR HIT THE BIRD. NO ABNORMAL ENG OR ANY OTHER INDICATIONS, SO I CONTINUED THE TKOF. WITH TSTMS IN THE AREA, I DECIDED TO PUT THE GEAR UP AND CONTINUE THE FLT. AFTER AIRBORNE, I CALLED AIRLINE MAINT AND DISPATCHER AND THEY AGREED IT WAS OK TO CONTINUE TO ATLANTA, GA. NORMAL FLT, APCH AND LNDG. NOTE: AS I MADE MY LAST 90 DEG L TURN IN TO GATE XX IN ATLANTA, I LOST ALL NOSEWHEEL STEERING. MAINT CAME OUT AND FOUND THE BIRD'S REMAINS IN MY STEERING BYPASS MECHANISM. THEY CLEANED OUT THE BIRD AND TOWED ACFT IN TO THE GATE. THE L FRONT NOSE GEAR LIGHT BULB WAS BROKEN AND THE LIGHT BRACKET WAS BENT AND HAD INTERFERED WITH THE NOSE GEAR BYPASS MECHANISM. INFO: AFTER THE BIRD STRIKE ON THE GND I NOTIFIED MOB TWR TO CHK THEIR RWY FOR BIRD DEBRIS.

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.