Description

On 1 September 1998, a Boeing 767-300 had a bird strike with a large flock of geese moments before touchdown at London Heathrow airport, causing substantial damage.

Synopsis

The following is an extract from the official AAIB report:

"...another aircraft which had just landed on Runway 09L reported sighting a flock of geese to the right side of the runway which were flying towards Runway 09R (ie heading southbound). Another aircraft on final approach to Runway 09R was advised of this report. A Boeing 747 was next in sequence to land on Runway 09L and this aircraft landed without incident and vacated the runway. [the B767] was then cleared to land on Runway 09L ...The commander reported that when the aircraft was about 50 feet above the runway, a flock of geese flew into the aircraft's path from right to left (ie heading northbound). This particular flock of geese had not been sighted by anyone until that time, although the pilot had heard the transmissions about the flock of geese heading southbound. When the birdstrikes occurred the engines were at idle power and the aircraft was only one or two seconds from touchdown. Towards the end of the landing roll the commander reported the bird strike, and the fact that that there was bird debris on the runway, to the Tower controller...Runway 09L was closed for about one hour until the debris from what was believed to be some 25 to 30 geese was removed from the area of Blocks 113 and 114.