Bird Strike on Northwest A320 at Raleigh Aug 9th 2009
Northwest 1546 suffers a bird strike and subsequent engine failure after departing Raleigh-Durham International Airport.
Summary
Shortly after takeoff from Raleigh-Durham, Northwest Flight 1546 experienced a loud bang, initially suspecting a blown tire before confirming a bird strike. The situation escalated when the aircraft's number one engine failed, forcing the crew to declare an emergency and return for an immediate landing. The Airbus A320 landed safely with 153 people on board.
Analysis
This recording captures the rapid evolution of an in-flight emergency. During the takeoff roll, just as the aircraft reached "rotation" speed (the speed at which the pilot pulls back on the stick to lift the nose), the crew heard a loud bang. In the high-stress environment of a departure, identifying the source of a noise is challenging; the crew initially suspected a blown tire, which is a common cause of loud reports on the runway. However, the First Officer's visual observation of birds and the Tower's confirmation of debris on the runway quickly shifted the diagnosis to a bird strike.
The incident is notable for the professional composure of the flight crew as the situation degraded. While they were initially coordinating a precautionary return to the airport, the "loud bang" culminated in the total failure of the Number 1 (left) engine. In aviation terms, losing an engine shortly after takeoff is a critical "Time-Critical" emergency because the aircraft is heavy with fuel and at a relatively low altitude. The pilot’s communication remains remarkably calm, even when announcing the engine loss: "And we just lost our number one engine... We're coming right in for a landing."
For non-experts, this transcript illustrates the "Aviate, Navigate, Communicate" hierarchy. The pilots first ensured the plane was flying, then navigated back toward the runway, and finally communicated their needs to ATC. The controller’s request for "souls on board and fuel in pounds" is a standard emergency protocol used to inform fire and rescue teams of the potential fire hazard and the number of people they may need to evacuate.
The event occurred only seven months after the famous "Miracle on the Hudson" (US Airways 1549), which also involved an Airbus A320 and a bird strike. This context likely weighed on the minds of the crew and controllers, though this incident involved the loss of only one engine rather than both, allowing for a standard powered return to the airfield rather than a ditching.