BAe 125 Series 800
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human-Machine Interface
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor; Inflight Event / Encounter Bird / Animal
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Inflight Shutdown; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; General Declared Emergency
Environment - Non Weather Related; Aircraft
After takeoff with positive rate of climb; the gear was selected up. The gear handle stopped only halfway. I left the gear selected in the down position and figured that we would gain altitude and check it out. I looked out the front and saw a flock of geese. I said it out loud to make sure the pilot flying had seen them; however there was nowhere to go. We then heard and felt geese hit the plane. The left engine indications became erratic and we decided to return for landing. I informed the tower of what had happened and our intentions. We were cleared to enter downwind and land. I then heard someone say that our left engine was smoking. We had gained enough altitude to make the decision to shut the left engine off; especially with the indications we were getting and the fact that it was reported smoking. We landed cautiously with the knowledge that the gear was down during the bird strike and could potentially be damaged. The landing was normal and we taxied to parking.
Distracted by a landing gear that failed to retract; the flight crew of a BAE-125-850XP noted a gaggle of geese too close ahead to avoid; and felt one or more strike the aircraft. The impact was followed by erratic indications and a report of smoke from the left engine heard over the radio. They performed an inflight shut down; and returned to their departure airport for an uneventful landing.