B737-700
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 168
Human-Machine Interface; Confusion
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control; Inflight Event / Encounter Bird / Animal
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; General Declared Emergency
Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors
On downwind being vectored at 2000 feet AGL for an ILS approach; we hit a flock of either ducks or geese. We were already 1.5 hours late on leg three of four on a PM trip. Upon impact; we immediately knew we'd hit something large and could tell by the smell that we'd ingested one or more in the engines. My First Officer (FO) said; 'We've hit a bunch of birds'! He saw the flashes but couldn't tell what they were. We both believed them to be either geese or ducks and were relieved to see the engines still running. The Flight Attendants (FA) immediately dinged us and I said 'We've hit a flock of geese.' About that time; the plane began to shake violently as multiple large bangs were heard and my FO said 'We're hitting more'! I said; 'Turn toward the runway'! Unbeknownst to me; the Number 2 engine was violently compressor stalling and shooting flames out the back. The passengers began screaming. The plane overbanked in the direction of the failing engine and began chiming 'Bank angle; bank angle' as the FO punched off the autopilot and turned us into a cloud. The FA started 'dinging' us non-stop at least five times. I then took the aircraft as the FO was rolling out and stammered to Approach; 'We need an immediate turn to the runway'! Approach said 'You're requesting tight vectors'? 'We've hit a flock of geese and our engines are sputtering! We need an immediate turn to the runway'! About that time I descended slightly to about 1700 feet to get out of the cloud and saw the runway making a bee-line to the approach end. The Company a/c in front of us initiated a turn to get out of our way. Approach asked if we were declaring an emergency and my FO said; 'Yes; roll the fire trucks'! I said; 'Let's do a flaps 15 approach;' since I didn't know which engines were damaged and whether they would keep running. We configured for a flaps 15 approach; turned on the flap inhibit switch; selected autobrakes 3; and landed uneventfully stopping straight ahead. I then made a PA explaining as best I could what had happened; talked to the FA; and shut down the Number 2 engine. After conferring with the Fire Chief; we taxied uneventfully to the gate with the fire truck trailing us. After talking to everyone we needed to and filling out all requisite paperwork; we flew uneventfully in a different aircraft to our final destination. Everything else being equal; it might have been helpful to talk to the FA before we landed but; being less than 2000 feet AGL with a handful of plane not fully understanding how our engines would run and being slightly fatigued; I felt too overwhelmed to do that or to have my FO do so. I wouldn't do it differently if I were to be in the same situation again.
B737 Captain reports hitting a flock of birds at 2000 feet during vectors for approach damaging at least one engine. Compressor stalls are heard and the Captain takes control of the aircraft and turns direct to the runway. ATC is advised and a flaps 15 landing ensues.