Bird Strike on Finals
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 247
Likes: 0
From: Test
Bird Strike on Finals
Hi there,
Anyone knows if there is anywhere stated that, if bird strike is reported by ATC on finals, the option to land or go-around depends on the PIC and not solely based on ATC instructions?
Thanks
Anyone knows if there is anywhere stated that, if bird strike is reported by ATC on finals, the option to land or go-around depends on the PIC and not solely based on ATC instructions?
Thanks
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,415
Likes: 431
From: Cab of a Freight Train
If ATC tell you you've hit a bird on final, why would you go around with possibly unknown damage? Continue the landing if you're stable and have nominal indications and let engineering deal with it when you're signing off. Applying go around power 'just because' Tower tells you you've hit a bird in the absence of any other reason to, risks a compressor stall and therefore, paperwork.


Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 350
Likes: 147
From: FL390
Airbus guidance is that in the event of encountering a flock of birds on final you should fly through them and land. If ATC tell you that there's a flock of birds over the approach end of the runway and you then continue to fly through them, I think you'd have some very difficult questions to answer.

Joined: May 2010
Posts: 84
Likes: 3
From: Austria
If I understand the starter right, previous landing has hit the bird, so possible debris/ carcass on the rwy.
Is the rwy closed now?
In my past experience ATC informed about and left the decision to the PIC to land or abort.
Is the rwy closed now?
In my past experience ATC informed about and left the decision to the PIC to land or abort.

Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 114
Likes: 9
From: United Kingdom
If your aircraft is damaged or under suspicion of being damed so close to a useable runway, then plonk it in the ground. Declare, repeat, act.

Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,443
Likes: 39
From: Wanderlust
I take it as ATC informing previous aircraft had a bird strike because if you don't know you had bird strike ATC wouldn't know either. All you need is two functioning engines even one will do but ECAM will come in and depending on altitude need to be done first, just go ahead and land.


Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 1,167
Likes: 180
From: USA
I could imagine the situation where an aircraft reported a bird strike on short final, and ATC instructed the traffic following to go around because the struck aircraft might come to a stop on the runway.
I can definitely not imagine any case where ATC would observe an aircraft getting hit by a bird (not likely by itself), and tell them to go around. Why would ATC do that? And normally it would not make sense to go around after a bird strike on short final, unknown damage, set up for landing, I would continue.
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 247
Likes: 0
From: Test
Question. Did the reported bird strike happen to your aircraft or to someone in front of you?
I could imagine the situation where an aircraft reported a bird strike on short final, and ATC instructed the traffic following to go around because the struck aircraft might come to a stop on the runway.
I can definitely not imagine any case where ATC would observe an aircraft getting hit by a bird (not likely by itself), and tell them to go around. Why would ATC do that? And normally it would not make sense to go around after a bird strike on short final, unknown damage, set up for landing, I would continue.
I could imagine the situation where an aircraft reported a bird strike on short final, and ATC instructed the traffic following to go around because the struck aircraft might come to a stop on the runway.
I can definitely not imagine any case where ATC would observe an aircraft getting hit by a bird (not likely by itself), and tell them to go around. Why would ATC do that? And normally it would not make sense to go around after a bird strike on short final, unknown damage, set up for landing, I would continue.
ah yes, what I meant is if I’m following an aircraft ahead that had a bird strike.

Joined: Sep 2018
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 402
Likes: 240
From: Seattle
The Ryanair 737 in Rome hit a flock of birds, the FO attempted a go-around and trashed the engines by going to full power, the Captain took control and landed on the runway.
Joined: Oct 2023
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Reading

Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 540
Likes: 336
From: Blue sky
Any type of engine failure on final, current idea is try to stabilize and land. If unable to stabilize in time with current configuration, go-around should still be an option. It’s totally up to the pilot. I believe it’s even a mandatory simulator excercise for OPCs.
ATC can only inform. You decide.
ATC can only inform. You decide.

Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 2,605
Likes: 154
From: Having a margarita on the beach

Joined: Mar 2006
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 365
Likes: 144
From: Vance, Belgium






