Narrative:

A few seconds prior to rotation on takeoff roll I saw 5 or 6 white birds takeoff from the runway about 200 yds in front of the aircraft. As we rotated and lifted off we flew through the birds, one of which was ingested into the #2 engine. Impact made a loud bang, but the engine continued to run. N1 RPM dropped 4 or 5%. We continued the climb out and as I was preparing to ask ATC for a return to cle for landing, the first F/a called over the interphone and reported that the #2 engine was on fire. We were passing 3000' MSL and raising the flaps at the time. I decided to shut down the #2 engine. We declared an emergency and were vectored back toward cle. Runway 23L was closed due to a prior mishap on that runway, so we elected to land on runway 18. I took control of the aircraft for the approach and we completed a 360 degree turn over the lake to complete our checklists. Landing and rollout were normal and we taxied back to the gate after the crash fire rescue equipment crew had confirmed there was no fire in the #2 engine. ATC was very helpful throughout the emergency. It appears that the #2 engine did compressor stall after bird impact and the F/a in the aft jumpseat did, in fact, see fire and smoke out the rear of the engine. As the engine did continue to run, I think a more prudent course of action may have been to ask the F/a's to take another look at the engine before shutting it down. There never was a fire indication in the cockpit. It would have been helpful to have a VOR at the airport, to assist in both latitude and vertical approach planning. It is unfortunate that so many of our major airports do not have a VOR/DME at the airport. It's not so bad during a normal approach, ATC can provide direction, but during an emergency ATC cannot know what you require and the pilot needs at least a bearing and DME to plan his approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BIRD STRIKE ON TKOF. RETURN LAND. EMERGENCY DECLARED.

Narrative: A FEW SECS PRIOR TO ROTATION ON TKOF ROLL I SAW 5 OR 6 WHITE BIRDS TKOF FROM THE RWY ABOUT 200 YDS IN FRONT OF THE ACFT. AS WE ROTATED AND LIFTED OFF WE FLEW THROUGH THE BIRDS, ONE OF WHICH WAS INGESTED INTO THE #2 ENG. IMPACT MADE A LOUD BANG, BUT THE ENG CONTINUED TO RUN. N1 RPM DROPPED 4 OR 5%. WE CONTINUED THE CLBOUT AND AS I WAS PREPARING TO ASK ATC FOR A RETURN TO CLE FOR LNDG, THE FIRST F/A CALLED OVER THE INTERPHONE AND RPTED THAT THE #2 ENG WAS ON FIRE. WE WERE PASSING 3000' MSL AND RAISING THE FLAPS AT THE TIME. I DECIDED TO SHUT DOWN THE #2 ENG. WE DECLARED AN EMER AND WERE VECTORED BACK TOWARD CLE. RWY 23L WAS CLOSED DUE TO A PRIOR MISHAP ON THAT RWY, SO WE ELECTED TO LAND ON RWY 18. I TOOK CTL OF THE ACFT FOR THE APCH AND WE COMPLETED A 360 DEG TURN OVER THE LAKE TO COMPLETE OUR CHKLISTS. LNDG AND ROLLOUT WERE NORMAL AND WE TAXIED BACK TO THE GATE AFTER THE CFR CREW HAD CONFIRMED THERE WAS NO FIRE IN THE #2 ENG. ATC WAS VERY HELPFUL THROUGHOUT THE EMER. IT APPEARS THAT THE #2 ENG DID COMPRESSOR STALL AFTER BIRD IMPACT AND THE F/A IN THE AFT JUMPSEAT DID, IN FACT, SEE FIRE AND SMOKE OUT THE REAR OF THE ENG. AS THE ENG DID CONTINUE TO RUN, I THINK A MORE PRUDENT COURSE OF ACTION MAY HAVE BEEN TO ASK THE F/A'S TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THE ENG BEFORE SHUTTING IT DOWN. THERE NEVER WAS A FIRE INDICATION IN THE COCKPIT. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL TO HAVE A VOR AT THE ARPT, TO ASSIST IN BOTH LAT AND VERT APCH PLANNING. IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT SO MANY OF OUR MAJOR ARPTS DO NOT HAVE A VOR/DME AT THE ARPT. IT'S NOT SO BAD DURING A NORMAL APCH, ATC CAN PROVIDE DIRECTION, BUT DURING AN EMER ATC CANNOT KNOW WHAT YOU REQUIRE AND THE PLT NEEDS AT LEAST A BEARING AND DME TO PLAN HIS APCH.

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