An MD80 flight crew experienced a bird strike on takeoff that resulted in some engine damage. They r...

Attributes
ACN	789355
Time
Date	200805
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
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	ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	789355
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical ground encounters : animal
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : 2
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Aircraft
Primary Problem	Environmental Factor

Narrative:

Just prior to V1; a flight attendant in the aft cabin called to report an unusual vibration -- there were no abnormal cockpit indications. The #1 flight attendant (in first class) stated there was nothing unusual up front. Climb out was continued as we evaluated the situation. Flight attendant in aft cabin called to report the vibration had diminished significantly. During climb out; each system (left and right) was looked at individually with no discrepancies noted. Passing about FL200; during a step climb to FL230; an extremely slight 'bump' was felt in the cockpit. A .01-.03 EPR fluctuation was noted on the left engine; all other indications were normal. This bump was thought to be a compressor stall. QRH was referenced; due to the combination of a possible compressor stall and vibrations reported by the flight attendants; the engine fire; damage; separation checklist was accomplished. When the throttle was retarded to idle; vibrations stopped and all engine indications were normal. Engine remained at idle for the remainder of the flight. An emergency was declared with center and a request for a return to ZZZ was made. Descent; approach; and landing were normal. After inspection by emergency response crew aircraft was taxied to the gate. With the exception of the left engine at idle for the return to ZZZ; there was no deviation from any far; operating limit or procedure. I am unaware of any traffic priority being assigned. Upon inspection; maintenance reported finding bird remains on the left engine cowling/intake/inlet guide vanes.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 FLT CREW EXPERIENCED A BIRD STRIKE ON TAKEOFF THAT RESULTED IN SOME ENGINE DAMAGE. THEY REDUCED THE ENGINE TO IDLE THRUST; DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND RETURNED TO DEP ARPT.

Narrative: JUST PRIOR TO V1; A FLT ATTENDANT IN THE AFT CABIN CALLED TO RPT AN UNUSUAL VIBRATION -- THERE WERE NO ABNORMAL COCKPIT INDICATIONS. THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT (IN FIRST CLASS) STATED THERE WAS NOTHING UNUSUAL UP FRONT. CLBOUT WAS CONTINUED AS WE EVALUATED THE SITUATION. FLT ATTENDANT IN AFT CABIN CALLED TO RPT THE VIBRATION HAD DIMINISHED SIGNIFICANTLY. DURING CLBOUT; EACH SYS (L AND R) WAS LOOKED AT INDIVIDUALLY WITH NO DISCREPANCIES NOTED. PASSING ABOUT FL200; DURING A STEP CLB TO FL230; AN EXTREMELY SLIGHT 'BUMP' WAS FELT IN THE COCKPIT. A .01-.03 EPR FLUCTUATION WAS NOTED ON THE L ENG; ALL OTHER INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL. THIS BUMP WAS THOUGHT TO BE A COMPRESSOR STALL. QRH WAS REFED; DUE TO THE COMBINATION OF A POSSIBLE COMPRESSOR STALL AND VIBRATIONS RPTED BY THE FLT ATTENDANTS; THE ENG FIRE; DAMAGE; SEPARATION CHKLIST WAS ACCOMPLISHED. WHEN THE THROTTLE WAS RETARDED TO IDLE; VIBRATIONS STOPPED AND ALL ENG INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL. ENG REMAINED AT IDLE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT. AN EMER WAS DECLARED WITH CTR AND A REQUEST FOR A RETURN TO ZZZ WAS MADE. DSCNT; APCH; AND LNDG WERE NORMAL. AFTER INSPECTION BY EMER RESPONSE CREW ACFT WAS TAXIED TO THE GATE. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE L ENG AT IDLE FOR THE RETURN TO ZZZ; THERE WAS NO DEV FROM ANY FAR; OPERATING LIMIT OR PROC. I AM UNAWARE OF ANY TFC PRIORITY BEING ASSIGNED. UPON INSPECTION; MAINT RPTED FINDING BIRD REMAINS ON THE L ENG COWLING/INTAKE/INLET GUIDE VANES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.

An MD80 flight crew experienced a bird strike on takeoff that resulted in some engine damage. They reduced the engine to idle thrust; declared an emergency and returned to departure airport.