Preliminary Report: Double bird-strike ends in aborted takeoff

CANADAIR CL-600-2B19, DULLES AIRPORT, VA., MARCH 9, 2002–Shortly after 10 a.m. EST, an Atlantic Coast Airlines flight initiated a takeoff when, according to NTSB preliminary reports, it “was struck by two wild turkeys.” The pilots aborted the takeoff before V1 and neither the crew nor the 50 passengers were hurt in the incident. The airplane sustained damage to the number-two engine inlet, the inner panel of the windshield and a 14- by 4 in. section of the fuselage skin. According to the report, one of the turkeys entered the cockpit.