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.
FDX1427 departed mem at 1002 CST on 03/01/12. Shortly after takeoff and while climbing through approximately 8,500 feet and 15 nautical miles from mem, FDX1427 struck what the crew described as "a flock of white birds". FDX1427 declared an emergency and returned to mem. The aircraft landed safely with moderate damage to the aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
FDX1427 DEPARTED MEM AT 1002 CST ON 03/01/12. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF AND WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH APPROXIMATELY 8,500 FEET AND 15 NAUTICAL MILES FROM MEM, FDX1427 STRUCK WHAT THE CREW DESCRIBED AS "A FLOCK OF WHITE BIRDS". FDX1427 DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND RETURNED TO MEM. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED SAFELY WITH MODERATE DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.