Regional Jet 900 (CRJ900)
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Communication Breakdown
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Bird / Animal
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors; Procedure
On final approach into SDF; the First Officer mentioned he had heard a (Thump) on final approach. The First Officer suggested it could be a bird strike and we agreed to check the aircraft out thoroughly before we shut down for the night. The First Officer mentioned that he noticed a mark (on the wing) but was unclear if it had been a bird or not. Maintenance arrived on the scene while we were both having the conversation and I told the Maintenance Technician what our concern was. I went on to say that I would call Dispatch and make a logbook entry. The Maintenance Technician told us not to worry and that he was doing an overnight maintenance check and he would take care of everything. I then suggested that we make the entry and the Maintenance Technician said once again 'NO!' I will take care of it and I then pushed one more time and asked him if he was sure and that it would only take a moment and he again said 'NO!' After our conversation we continued our normal and final duties before departing the aircraft for the night. As we were walking down the terminal we were intercepted by a ramper that overheard our conversation with the Maintenance Technician. The ramper then asked if we had hit a bird and we only told him we suspected a strike but it was unclear and that Maintenance was down to address the issue on his overnight checks. The ramper asked what altitude that we suspected that we made contact and we gave the altitude of somewhere between 2500 and 3000 on final and then we continued to the hotel.I should have placed an entry into the logbook anyway. I was told 'NO' three times by the maintenance man to not make an entry.  We were sort of in a back and fourth on what was the correct thing to do. The correct thing was to place the entry into the book.
CRJ Captain reported that a Maintenance Technician pressured him not to make a logbook entry for a suspected bird strike; resulting in a policy deviation.