Commander navy installations command
Non-Damaging Strike Event
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- Remains Found on Runway Surfaces
- Near-Miss Reporting
- Remains Collection and Identification
- Remains Identification
- Smithsonian Procedures
- Wildlife Management for Safer Aviation Operations
Non-Damaging Strike EventA non-damaging strike event is one where a bird or animal is hit by an aircraft but results in no damage to the aircraft. Naval Safety Center data shows that approximately 90 percent of reported strike events are non-damaging. Remains of the animal may still be present and must be collected and turned in for identification to assist in wildlife management on the airfield. If the aircraft has to be cleaned because of the strike event, then all costs associated with cleaning materials and man hours shall be totaled and reported in the report to the Naval Safety Center.
One of the greatest data gaps in an installation’s BASH Plan execution is the incidence of an aircraft wildlife strike without the knowledge of the flight crew. In many cases evidence of such wildlife strikes is found by airfield personnel and tossed off the side of the runway to reduce the FOD hazard. Not only does this process create an attractant for other wildlife to feed on the carcasses, but valuable data is lost for wildlife management. These birds and mammals must be collected, identified, and reported to the Navy Safety Center’s database. Installations shall make every effort to coordinate with aircraft reporting custodians to determine if the strike can be correlated to a specific aircraft. Installation personnel shall be responsible for reporting bird/wildlife strikes of unknown origin (e.g. bird remains found on a runway and not correlated to an specific aircraft) even though the aircraft type, squadron, and actual time the strike event occurred may not be available, the species and location can aid in airfield and species management. Training through the Airfield Vehicle Operators Indoctrination Course (AVOC), (see Section 2.1.8) should educate all personnel within the airfield environment to collect and turn in these strike remains.
In addition to the requirement for the reporting of damaging and non-damaging strikes, the reporting of near-miss events adds valuable data for an installation in managing a BASH program. By estimates near-miss events exceed actual strike events by a margin of 3 to 1. Even though most wildlife involved in the near-miss event cannot be identified, the exact location of such events can be recorded and this area managed or avoided. Near-miss data is of particular value along low-level routes, on ranges, and within training areas. If a known topographic feature along a low-level route (i.e. a dam, ridge top, or lake) has a history of actual strikes and numerous near-miss events, the feature or area should be avoided.
Wildlife strike remains collection, identification, and reporting are essential elements of any installation BASH program. With proper remains collection, reporting, and identification of problem species (and habitats that harbor problem species), those that pose the greatest risks to aircraft and flight crews can be specially targeted for mitigation procedures, maximizing effective use of limited BASH resources to promote safe flight operations. An installation cannot effectively manage a BASH program if the problem species are not known.
All wildlife strike remains shall be sent to the Smithsonian Institution’s Feather Identification Laboratory for processing and identification by the installation’s BASH Program Manager, which in most places will be the AFM. Remains shall include whole feathers, non-fleshy parts (beaks and feet), downy feathers and blood smears. If the installation has a staff biologist or USDA wildlife biologist who is proficient in bird identification, he or she may be able to assist the Smithsonian Institution with a preliminary identification. All remains shall be sent to the address below. Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History Division of Birds, E600, MRC 116 P.O. Box 37012 Washington, DC 20013-7012
Procedures for collecting and sending feather and DNA samples to the Smithsonian Institution are found in Appendix 1. Specimens forwarded to the Smithsonian for identification must include a copy of the Naval Safety Center’s WESS Wildlife Strike Report. Only feather material and dry feet or beaks containing non-fleshy material or alcohol wipes with blood remains are to be forwarded. Once the strike event material is identified, the Smithsonian personnel will forward the species identification to the reporting party and the Safety Center. The Safety Center will update the WESS event record. The identified species data can then be obtained by the facility.
Active and passive wildlife control techniques can successfully reduce the threat of bird and wildlife strikes to aircrew and aircraft from hazardous wildlife on and around the airfield. These techniques vary in cost and effectiveness depending on the situation and types of problem wildlife species. Active control involves forced dispersal of wildlife from an airfield to give short-term relief from an immediate safety hazard. Active control methods must be coordinated with airfield tower personnel to prevent otherwise resting birds from becoming airborne and becoming a strike hazard. Passive techniques are used for many flying scenarios including airfields, low-level routes, and ranges. These techniques are more long-term in nature involving the management of the airfield facility, airspace and/or flight operations to eliminate or reduce those conditions birds and other wildlife find attractive.
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