FAA: Major Accidents From Bird Strikes Are Rare

Bird strikes to aircraft are surprisingly common. The FAA reports that between 1990 and 2004 more than 56,000 bird strikes to civil aircraft were recorded. And the FAA estimates that these make up only about 20 percent of the number that actually occurred.

Every year, bird and other wildlife strikes to aircraft cause over $600 million in damage to U.S. civil and military aircraft. When a bird strikes an engine, it can damage parts of the mechanisms, like the fan, that make it spin.

Major accidents are not common, but according to the Bird Strike Committee USA, five large jet airliners have had major accidents due to bird strikes since 1975. In one case, about three dozen people were killed.

The committee is made up of civil and military aviation experts. Their research shows that bird strike hazards are increasing, in part because bird populations in North America are growing and more planes are flying. Numbers of geese, in particular, have increased — often frequenting golf courses, parks and airports.

Large commercial aircraft are certified to be able to continue flying after hitting a four-pound bird, even if one engine has to be shut down. But many species of North American birds weigh more than four pounds, and most travel in flocks.

Airports use a variety of methods, including making loud noises, to discourage birds from taking up residence on their grounds. These have had mixed results and don't help with birds that might be flying well outside the vicinity of an airport. Although most strikes do happen close to airports, more than 1,300 strikes involving civil aircraft took place at heights above 5,000 feet. The world record height for a strike is 37,000 feet, according to the Bird Strike Committee.

Bird strikes have been part of aviation from its inception. According to the diaries of the Wright brothers, Orville Wright hit a bird (thought to be a red-winged blackbird) during a flight in 1905.

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