N116FE

On May 7, 1998, approximately 2130 mountain daylight time, a Boeing 727-25C, N116FE, operated by Federal Express Corporation of Memphis, Tennessee, sustained minor damage when it struck a flock of birds during climbout from Colorado Springs, Colorado. There were no injuries to the airline transport rated captain, first officer, and second officer. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an IFR flight plan was filed for the scheduled domestic cargo flight being operated under Title 14 CFR Part 121. The flight originated approximately 2120.

According to the incident report submitted by Federal Express, flight 1287 took off from Colorado Springs, and was en route to Memphis, Tennessee. When the airplane was north of the airport and passing 8,500 feet msl, it struck "a flock of large white birds." The crew felt "moderate to severe vibrations due to the ingestion of one or more birds into the no. 3 engine." This caused an uncontained engine failure. There was also a loss of essential electrical power. After restoring electrical power using the no. 1 generator, the captain declared an emergency, returned to the Colorado Springs Airport, and made an uneventful landing.

The right hand side of the airplane sustained all the damage. The radome was damaged, and there was a tear in the skin behind the radome. A doubler at F.S. 196 was damaged, and there were multiple skin dents below the pitot-static tube.

Visual inspection of the engine disclosed bird remains in and around the no. 3 engine. The outboard 4 inches of the first stage compressor blade separated, damaging the first and second stage compressor blades, stator blades, and inlet guide vanes. Shrapnel was ejected through the engine case at the 12 o'clock position, severing the no. 3 electrical bus wire bundle and puncturing the engine inlet anti-ice bleed air duct. The nose and upper engine cowling and thrust reverser were also damaged. The constant speed drive oil cooler was partially separated due to engine vibrations.

According to a report submitted by Lufthansa Airmotive Ireland, the facility that disassembled and inspected the no. 3 engine, there was "severe front and rear compressor damage." One of the C1 blades fractured and penetrated the front fan case at the 12 o'clock position. There was also "heavy metal splatter" on all stages of the turbine discs and nozzle guide vanes.

Ingested bird remains were submitted to the Smithsonian Institute and were identified as coming from a Canadian goose. The report stated that the average weight of a Canadian goose is 8 pounds.