What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Shortly after takeoff from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood international airport (fll), at approximately 900 feet above ground level (AGL), the Airbus A320-232 operated by the certificate holder (ch) experienced a bird strike on engine number 1, an international aero engines (iae) V2500 series. The flight crew visually identified the bird, believed to be a vulture, immediately prior to impact.
Following the strike, engine 1 exhibited a temporary reduction in thrust, with N1 decreasing to approximately 30%. The engine subsequently recovered thrust: however, N1 vibration levels increased to approximately 3.5 units. After leveling off, vibration levels decreased and stabilized.
The flight crew conducted a comprehensive review of all engine and aircraft parameters. No abnormal indications were observed aside from the elevated, but stable, N1 vibration on engine 1. Based on available data and stable engine performance, the crew elected to continue operating the engine.
After establishing communication with departure control, the flight crew declared an emergency as a precaution due to suspected engine damage. No ecam messages were generated following the bird strike; however, the possibility of structural or internal engine damage remained.
Flight crew notified company operations, flight attendants were briefed, and passengers were informed of the situation in accordance with ch procedures.
Following arrival preparations, the crew elected to return to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood international airport. The aircraft landed safely without further incident.
Emergency fire and rescue services, along with airport operations, met the aircraft upon landing and escorted it to the gate. As a precautionary measure, engine 1 was shut down during taxi. During taxi operations, flaps were maintained at conf 4 due to uncertainty regarding potential engine damage and possible debris impact on aircraft surfaces.
A post-flight inspection was conducted by both the captain and first officer. Inspection revealed that at least five fan blades exhibited bending damage consistent with bird impact. Subsequently, company maintenance personnel conducted a foreign object damage (FOD) inspection on engine 1. The inspection revealed that the engine damages exceeded the limitations specified in the manufacturer’s manual, necessitating engine replacement. Following the replacement, the aircraft was returned to service, and no further issues were reported.
As the FAA filed it
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM FORT LAUDERDALE-HOLLYWOOD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (FLL), AT APPROXIMATELY 900 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL), THE AIRBUS A320-232 OPERATED BY THE CERTIFICATE HOLDER (CH) EXPERIENCED A BIRD STRIKE ON ENGINE NUMBER 1, AN INTERNATIONAL AERO ENGINES (IAE) V2500 SERIES. THE FLIGHT CREW VISUALLY IDENTIFIED THE BIRD, BELIEVED TO BE A VULTURE, IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO IMPACT.
FOLLOWING THE STRIKE, ENGINE 1 EXHIBITED A TEMPORARY REDUCTION IN THRUST, WITH N1 DECREASING TO APPROXIMATELY 30%. THE ENGINE SUBSEQUENTLY RECOVERED THRUST: HOWEVER, N1 VIBRATION LEVELS INCREASED TO APPROXIMATELY 3.5 UNITS. AFTER LEVELING OFF, VIBRATION LEVELS DECREASED AND STABILIZED.
THE FLIGHT CREW CONDUCTED A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF ALL ENGINE AND AIRCRAFT PARAMETERS. NO ABNORMAL INDICATIONS WERE OBSERVED ASIDE FROM THE ELEVATED, BUT STABLE, N1 VIBRATION ON ENGINE 1. BASED ON AVAILABLE DATA AND STABLE ENGINE PERFORMANCE, THE CREW ELECTED TO CONTINUE OPERATING THE ENGINE.
AFTER ESTABLISHING COMMUNICATION WITH DEPARTURE CONTROL, THE FLIGHT CREW DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AS A PRECAUTION DUE TO SUSPECTED ENGINE DAMAGE. NO ECAM MESSAGES WERE GENERATED FOLLOWING THE BIRD STRIKE; HOWEVER, THE POSSIBILITY OF STRUCTURAL OR INTERNAL ENGINE DAMAGE REMAINED.
FLIGHT CREW NOTIFIED COMPANY OPERATIONS, FLIGHT ATTENDANTS WERE BRIEFED, AND PASSENGERS WERE INFORMED OF THE SITUATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH CH PROCEDURES.
FOLLOWING ARRIVAL PREPARATIONS, THE CREW ELECTED TO RETURN TO FORT LAUDERDALE-HOLLYWOOD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED SAFELY WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.
EMERGENCY FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICES, ALONG WITH AIRPORT OPERATIONS, MET THE AIRCRAFT UPON LANDING AND ESCORTED IT TO THE GATE. AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE, ENGINE 1 WAS SHUT DOWN DURING TAXI. DURING TAXI OPERATIONS, FLAPS WERE MAINTAINED AT CONF 4 DUE TO UNCERTAINTY REGARDING POTENTIAL ENGINE DAMAGE AND POSSIBLE DEBRIS IMPACT ON AIRCRAFT SURFACES.
A POST-FLIGHT INSPECTION WAS CONDUCTED BY BOTH THE CAPTAIN AND FIRST OFFICER. INSPECTION REVEALED THAT AT LEAST FIVE FAN BLADES EXHIBITED BENDING DAMAGE CONSISTENT WITH BIRD IMPACT. SUBSEQUENTLY, COMPANY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL CONDUCTED A FOREIGN OBJECT DAMAGE (FOD) INSPECTION ON ENGINE 1. THE INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE DAMAGES EXCEEDED THE LIMITATIONS SPECIFIED IN THE MANUFACTURER’S MANUAL, NECESSITATING ENGINE REPLACEMENT. FOLLOWING THE REPLACEMENT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE, AND NO FURTHER ISSUES WERE REPORTED.