The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has decided to withdraw its request to “protect” parts of its Bird Strike Database and make the entire database available to the public. Only personal information, such as phone numbers has been hidden. “The FAA has determined that it can release the data without jeopardizing aviation safety,” stated the FAA in a press release.
Consumer advocacy groups had called for the FAA to make the bird strike data public after Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger was forced to safely land his US Airways jet on the Hudson River after colliding with a flock of geese near New York’s LaGuardia Airport.
Along with the Bird Strike Database, the FAA released the much-easier to digest report, “Wildlife Strikes to Civil Aircraft in the United States 1990 – 2007” (.pdf).
According to the report, bird strike accidents have killed more than 219 people and destroyed over 200 aircraft globally since 1988. The FAA cites increases in bird populations, along with the growing willingness of birds to flock and nest in urban areas as the primary causes of the increasing threat of bird strikes.
The deadliest crash to be blamed on a bird strike happened in October 1960. In that incident, 62 people died when a flight departing Boston crashed after hitting a flock of birds.
In addition, the FAA found that the more energy efficient, two-engine jet aircraft now preferred by the major airlines were quieter and thus harder for birds to detect and avoid than the louder four-engine planes.
During the 18-year period of the report (1990-2007), 82,057 wildlife strikes were reported to the FAA. Of these, 97.5 involved birds, while the remainder were reported as collisions with bats, mammals and reptiles.
From 1990 to 2007, the number of bird strikes more than quadrupled from 1,759 in 1990 to a record 7,666 in 2007.
Airports reporting the most serious bird strike incidents since 2000 were York's John F. Kennedy International, with 30 strikes, and Sacramento International, reporting 28.
Extent of Damage Caused: Of the 79,972 bird strikes reported, 63,973 provided some indication as to the nature and extent of any damage. Of these 63,973 reports, 54,886 (86 percent) indicated the strike did not damage the aircraft; 4,856 (8 percent) indicated the aircraft suffered minor damage; 2,375 (4 percent) indicated the aircraft suffered substantial damage; 1,836 (3 percent) reported an uncertain level of damage; and 20 reports (less than 1 percent) indicated the aircraft was destroyed as a result of the strike.
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