What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4) The airplane pushed back from the gate, and taxied to runway 18L. While taxing, the crew heard no mention of a bird hazard by another aircraft or ATC. The takeoff roll was normal until passing approximately 150 knots; at that point, a flock of birds traveling from left to right passed in front of the airplane. The captain advised the first officer of the hazard, and asked him to climb over the flock. The first officer increased pitch angle, but the airplane still penetrated the flock. At the time of penetration, the nose wheel was in the air, and the main landing gear was just becoming airborne. The airplane returned to the airport without further incident. At the time of impact, N1 on the left engine dropped from 81.88 percent to 56.00 percent, and on the right engine, it dropped from 81.25 to 71.63 percent. In both cases, throttle positions remained constant. The bird's roost was not identified, and no airport procedures contributing to the accident were observed. Starlings comprised 5 percent of all the damaging animal strikes to U.S. Aircraft from 1993 to 1995. (-23)struck a flock of birds on take-off from cvg. Returned to cvg landed without incident . Extensive damage to #1&2 engine.
As the FAA filed it
(.4) THE AIRPLANE PUSHED BACK FROM THE GATE, AND TAXIED TO RUNWAY 18L. WHILE TAXING, THE CREW HEARD NO MENTION OF A BIRD HAZARD BY ANOTHER AIRCRAFT OR ATC. THE TAKEOFF ROLL WAS NORMAL UNTIL PASSING APPROXIMATELY 150 KNOTS; AT THAT POINT, A FLOCK OF BIRDS TRAVELING FROM LEFT TO RIGHT PASSED IN FRONT OF THE AIRPLANE. THE CAPTAIN ADVISED THE FIRST OFFICER OF THE HAZARD, AND ASKED HIM TO CLIMB OVER THE FLOCK. THE FIRST OFFICER INCREASED PITCH ANGLE, BUT THE AIRPLANE STILL PENETRATED THE FLOCK. AT THE TIME OF PENETRATION, THE NOSE WHEEL WAS IN THE AIR, AND THE MAIN LANDING GEAR WAS JUST BECOMING AIRBORNE. THE AIRPLANE RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. AT THE TIME OF IMPACT, N1 ON THE LEFT ENGINE DROPPED FROM 81.88 PERCENT TO 56.00 PERCENT, AND ON THE RIGHT ENGINE, IT DROPPED FROM 81.25 TO 71.63 PERCENT. IN BOTH CASES, THROTTLE POSITIONS REMAINED CONSTANT. THE BIRD'S ROOST WAS NOT IDENTIFIED, AND NO AIRPORT PROCEDURES CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE OBSERVED. STARLINGS COMPRISED 5 PERCENT OF ALL THE DAMAGING ANIMAL STRIKES TO U.S. AIRCRAFT FROM 1993 TO 1995. (-23)STRUCK A FLOCK OF BIRDS ON TAKE-OFF FROM CVG. RETURNED TO CVG LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT . EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO #1&2 ENGINE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.