Narrative:

On approach to phl airport; we were at 3000 ft MSL on vectors to a visual approach to runway 35. Both the captain (PNF) and I saw geese (about 2 dozen) in formation close to our altitude at our 12 O'clock position. We had no time to maneuver to avoid the geese as we were still at 240-250 KIAS. As we flew through the flock; we heard and felt a thud as it appeared we struck at least 1 goose somewhere on the nose. No abnormal indications were seen on the EICAS and system synoptic pages. Approximately 2 mins later; we heard another sound which we thought might have been an access door opening. At no time was aircraft control compromised; and we continued with a normal approach and landing. After being marshalled into our gate; the ramp agent motioned for us to take a look at the aircraft. Upon examination; we saw that 1 goose impacted the radome just below and to the right (first officer) side of center. The goose punched a hole through the radome and was lodged inside. Also; the radar antenna plate was hanging out of the hole -- we surmised that was the second sound we heard; that of it dropping through the hole (it was being retained solely by the cable). No other signs of impact or damage were noted around the aircraft. It appeared that no large pieces departed the aircraft in flight (the pieces of displaced radome were being held in place by the remains of the goose). The flight attendant and several passenger commented they heard/felt the impact (1 passenger who was waiting for his carry-on bag asked me if we hit a bird). We often see birds in this area; as the approach to phl generally follows the delaware river.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CL65 AT 3000 FT SUSTAINED A GOOSE BIRD STRIKE ON ITS RADOME WHILE ON APCH TO PHL RWY 35.

Narrative: ON APCH TO PHL ARPT; WE WERE AT 3000 FT MSL ON VECTORS TO A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 35. BOTH THE CAPT (PNF) AND I SAW GEESE (ABOUT 2 DOZEN) IN FORMATION CLOSE TO OUR ALT AT OUR 12 O'CLOCK POS. WE HAD NO TIME TO MANEUVER TO AVOID THE GEESE AS WE WERE STILL AT 240-250 KIAS. AS WE FLEW THROUGH THE FLOCK; WE HEARD AND FELT A THUD AS IT APPEARED WE STRUCK AT LEAST 1 GOOSE SOMEWHERE ON THE NOSE. NO ABNORMAL INDICATIONS WERE SEEN ON THE EICAS AND SYS SYNOPTIC PAGES. APPROX 2 MINS LATER; WE HEARD ANOTHER SOUND WHICH WE THOUGHT MIGHT HAVE BEEN AN ACCESS DOOR OPENING. AT NO TIME WAS ACFT CTL COMPROMISED; AND WE CONTINUED WITH A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG. AFTER BEING MARSHALLED INTO OUR GATE; THE RAMP AGENT MOTIONED FOR US TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE ACFT. UPON EXAM; WE SAW THAT 1 GOOSE IMPACTED THE RADOME JUST BELOW AND TO THE R (FO) SIDE OF CTR. THE GOOSE PUNCHED A HOLE THROUGH THE RADOME AND WAS LODGED INSIDE. ALSO; THE RADAR ANTENNA PLATE WAS HANGING OUT OF THE HOLE -- WE SURMISED THAT WAS THE SECOND SOUND WE HEARD; THAT OF IT DROPPING THROUGH THE HOLE (IT WAS BEING RETAINED SOLELY BY THE CABLE). NO OTHER SIGNS OF IMPACT OR DAMAGE WERE NOTED AROUND THE ACFT. IT APPEARED THAT NO LARGE PIECES DEPARTED THE ACFT IN FLT (THE PIECES OF DISPLACED RADOME WERE BEING HELD IN PLACE BY THE REMAINS OF THE GOOSE). THE FLT ATTENDANT AND SEVERAL PAX COMMENTED THEY HEARD/FELT THE IMPACT (1 PAX WHO WAS WAITING FOR HIS CARRY-ON BAG ASKED ME IF WE HIT A BIRD). WE OFTEN SEE BIRDS IN THIS AREA; AS THE APCH TO PHL GENERALLY FOLLOWS THE DELAWARE RIVER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.