Narrative:

Takeoff roll, runway 23 (9000 ft), gross weight 108000 pounds, takeoff speeds V1 129 KTS, vr 129 KTS, V2 137 KTS. During takeoff roll at approximately 80 KTS, we noticed 2 very large birds (blue herons) crossing the runway approximately 1000-2000 ft ahead. As we continued the takeoff roll, we realized that the birds were likely to be a factor. At approximately 100-110 KTS, there was a very loud bang when 1 bird impacted the left side of the aircraft. I made the decision to abort, called out 'abort, I have the aircraft,' and initiated the rejected takeoff procedure. We exited the runway at taxiway G, and told tower we needed to assess our brake energy. After calculating the brake energy in the opc, we called operations and told them we would be returning to the gate, and asked if they could contact contract maintenance to inspect the aircraft. The bird impacted the fuselage just behind the L3 window and just forward of the forward entry door. After the inspection, contacting the chief pilot, dispatch, and company maintenance, and waiting for the brake cooling period, we pushed back and departed. Looking back, perhaps the decision to abort for a bird strike above 80 KTS was the wrong one. After researching the physical size of this type of bird which has a wing span of 7-8 ft and a body length of over 4 ft long, I was astonished to find that this type of bird only weighs around 6.5 pounds. My thought process was that I didn't want to continue a takeoff not knowing whether a bird of that physical size was ingested into an engine. With my right hand on the throttle quadrant, hearing a very loud bang, and hitting a bird of that size, my initial reaction was to abort the takeoff and assess the damage on the ground rather than in the air. The QRH states clearly that 'it is recommended that the captain reject a takeoff above 80 KTS only for an engine failure, fire warning, a predictive windshear warning, or the aircraft is unsafe/unable to fly.' after thinking about it in the comfort of my home, I realize that aborting a takeoff for a possible engine failure rather than an actual engine failure probably isn't the correct decision, regardless of the physical size of bird.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 CREW ABORTED TKOF AFTER A BLUE HERON BIRD STRIKE AT ORF.

Narrative: TKOF ROLL, RWY 23 (9000 FT), GROSS WT 108000 LBS, TKOF SPDS V1 129 KTS, VR 129 KTS, V2 137 KTS. DURING TKOF ROLL AT APPROX 80 KTS, WE NOTICED 2 VERY LARGE BIRDS (BLUE HERONS) XING THE RWY APPROX 1000-2000 FT AHEAD. AS WE CONTINUED THE TKOF ROLL, WE REALIZED THAT THE BIRDS WERE LIKELY TO BE A FACTOR. AT APPROX 100-110 KTS, THERE WAS A VERY LOUD BANG WHEN 1 BIRD IMPACTED THE L SIDE OF THE ACFT. I MADE THE DECISION TO ABORT, CALLED OUT 'ABORT, I HAVE THE ACFT,' AND INITIATED THE REJECTED TKOF PROC. WE EXITED THE RWY AT TXWY G, AND TOLD TWR WE NEEDED TO ASSESS OUR BRAKE ENERGY. AFTER CALCULATING THE BRAKE ENERGY IN THE OPC, WE CALLED OPS AND TOLD THEM WE WOULD BE RETURNING TO THE GATE, AND ASKED IF THEY COULD CONTACT CONTRACT MAINT TO INSPECT THE ACFT. THE BIRD IMPACTED THE FUSELAGE JUST BEHIND THE L3 WINDOW AND JUST FORWARD OF THE FORWARD ENTRY DOOR. AFTER THE INSPECTION, CONTACTING THE CHIEF PLT, DISPATCH, AND COMPANY MAINT, AND WAITING FOR THE BRAKE COOLING PERIOD, WE PUSHED BACK AND DEPARTED. LOOKING BACK, PERHAPS THE DECISION TO ABORT FOR A BIRD STRIKE ABOVE 80 KTS WAS THE WRONG ONE. AFTER RESEARCHING THE PHYSICAL SIZE OF THIS TYPE OF BIRD WHICH HAS A WING SPAN OF 7-8 FT AND A BODY LENGTH OF OVER 4 FT LONG, I WAS ASTONISHED TO FIND THAT THIS TYPE OF BIRD ONLY WEIGHS AROUND 6.5 LBS. MY THOUGHT PROCESS WAS THAT I DIDN'T WANT TO CONTINUE A TKOF NOT KNOWING WHETHER A BIRD OF THAT PHYSICAL SIZE WAS INGESTED INTO AN ENG. WITH MY R HAND ON THE THROTTLE QUADRANT, HEARING A VERY LOUD BANG, AND HITTING A BIRD OF THAT SIZE, MY INITIAL REACTION WAS TO ABORT THE TKOF AND ASSESS THE DAMAGE ON THE GND RATHER THAN IN THE AIR. THE QRH STATES CLRLY THAT 'IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE CAPT REJECT A TKOF ABOVE 80 KTS ONLY FOR AN ENG FAILURE, FIRE WARNING, A PREDICTIVE WINDSHEAR WARNING, OR THE ACFT IS UNSAFE/UNABLE TO FLY.' AFTER THINKING ABOUT IT IN THE COMFORT OF MY HOME, I REALIZE THAT ABORTING A TKOF FOR A POSSIBLE ENG FAILURE RATHER THAN AN ACTUAL ENG FAILURE PROBABLY ISN'T THE CORRECT DECISION, REGARDLESS OF THE PHYSICAL SIZE OF BIRD.

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.