Description

On March 4, 1999, a DC9-10 operated by USA Jet Airlines, at night and on final approach to land at Kansas City International Airport encountered a flock of large birds. Following the bird strike, several birds were ingested into both engines which resulted in a partial thrust loss on one engine and near total thrust loss on the other. The crew managed to regain sufficient thrust to continue the approach and land without further incident.

Synopsis

This is an extract from the official accident report (CHI99FA102) published by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), USA:

[…] The first officer said that the airplane was on speed and course for the visual approach. "The captain had just called the 1,000 feet [above the ground] call when a flock of snow geese [was] suddenly illuminated in our lights, engulfing us from below, flying into us. No birds hit the windshields, but it was immediately apparent they had flown into the engines." The captain said that he had the airplane and directed the first officer to set the flaps to 30 degrees. The first officer said that she notified the Kansas City Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) of the bird strike. "When asked by [the] tower if we wanted to go around, we responded, negative.

The number two engine showed about 30 percent N1. The number one engine, when full thrust [was] applied, responded with fluctuating EPRs (engine pressure ratio gauge indications) and violent vibrations. We were able to land and taxi to the ramp with the thrust from [the] number one engine."