20011120034499A

Accident · No damage

FAA accident report · Boeing 727-233 · Memphis, TN · November 20, 2001

Date: November 20, 2001 · 00:25 local
Place: Memphis, TN
Airport: Memphis International
Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121)
Operator: FDEA
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N277FE
NTSB investigation: NTSBMIA02LA023
Reported as: Boeing 727233

N277FERegistration cancelled Aug 10, 2015 · Boeing 727-233S/N 22042 · Built 1980 Airframe modelBoeing 727-233 Engine modelPratt & Whitney JT8D-15Turbo-fan

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Pilot statement: at 2000 MSL while turning final we encountered a flock of 20+/- large birds. Aircraft was clean configuration and 250 KTS just about on centerline for visual approach to rwy 9. Both the capt and f/o ducked. A loud bang and the sound of wind followed. Upon investigation bird remains were discovered on capt. and pieces of aircraft plastic from left side just below the glareshield were observed. All engines operated normally. At flaps 2 observed outboard flaps just at limit of extension. All slats operated normally, no airspeed problem. Remainder of flap extension was normal and uneventful landing was made. After block in a walk-around was completed and it appears two birds punctured the underside of the right wing just aft of the retracted slats. In addition a puncture was observed just below the captain's L1 window which accounts for the bird remains in the cockpit.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT STATEMENT: AT 2000 MSL WHILE TURNING FINAL WE ENCOUNTERED A FLOCK OF 20+/- LARGE BIRDS. AIRCRAFT WAS CLEAN CONFIGURATION AND 250 KTS JUST ABOUT ON CENTERLINE FOR VISUAL APPROACH TO RWY 9. BOTH THE CAPT AND F/O DUCKED. A LOUD BANG AND THE SOUND OF WIND FOLLOWED. UPON INVESTIGATION BIRD REMAINS WERE DISCOVERED ON CAPT. AND PIECES OF AIRCRAFT PLASTIC FROM LEFT SIDE JUST BELOW THE GLARESHIELD WERE OBSERVED. ALL ENGINES OPERATED NORMALLY. AT FLAPS 2 OBSERVED OUTBOARD FLAPS JUST AT LIMIT OF EXTENSION. ALL SLATS OPERATED NORMALLY, NO AIRSPEED PROBLEM. REMAINDER OF FLAP EXTENSION WAS NORMAL AND UNEVENTFUL LANDING WAS MADE. AFTER BLOCK IN A WALK-AROUND WAS COMPLETED AND IT APPEARS TWO BIRDS PUNCTURED THE UNDERSIDE OF THE RIGHT WING JUST AFT OF THE RETRACTED SLATS. IN ADDITION A PUNCTURE WAS OBSERVED JUST BELOW THE CAPTAIN'S L1 WINDOW WHICH ACCOUNTS FOR THE BIRD REMAINS IN THE COCKPIT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB MIA02LA023Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportMemphis, TNThe inadvertent collision with birds while on final approach to land resulting in substantial damage to the airplane.Nov 20, 2001 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N277FE · 3

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 20030731018239IGround Taxi, Other Airplane · Memphis, TN(-23) On July 31, 2003, a Boeing 727 collided with an extended bridge of a stationary stair. The marshaller guided the aircraft onto gate 452. The damage to the left fuselage extends from sta 380-520 along stringer #24. The pressure vessel was punctured.Jul 31, 2003 · Substantial damage Incident 20030123006009IOther Ground Ops · Indianapolis, IN(-23) On 01/23/03 fedex flight 1724 was being pushed back from the gate. The initial push back turn was started to the wrong direction for departure. During the correcting turn the elevator of N277FE struck the elevator and tail cone of N461FE.Jan 23, 2003 · Minor damage Incident 20010524013829IOther Ground Ops · Middletown, PA(-23)On may 24, 2001, fedex flight 1503, a Boeing 727-233, landed without any abnormal indications and taxied to the ramp. The cargo was being offloaded and the flight crew left the aircraft. The maintenance crew was called to the aircraft after smoke was…May 24, 2001 · Minor damage