EMB ERJ 145 ER/LR
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness; Training / Qualification; Troubleshooting
Inflight Event / Encounter Bird / Animal
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory; Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft; Environment - Non Weather Related
About 5 seconds after the wheels left the ground; the aircraft had a bird strike with a seagull. The First Officer's pitot tube was hit directly and caused an immediate blockage. His airspeed indication immediately dropped. I; the Captain; took control of the aircraft. After review of the QRH we restored the First Officer's proper indications using manual reversion of the ADC. We made an air return to the departure airport after burning off enough fuel to get our weight under the aircraft's landing structural weight. The aircraft landed without further incident. Post flight inspection showed a blood stream heading to and from the First Officer's pitot tube; and bird remains inside the tube. No other damage was observed. The airspeed failure during a critical phase of flight [was a] threat.
A seagull strike directly on the First Officer's pitot tube caused an immediately airspeed loss; which was restored using the ADC as per the QRH. The Captain flew the aircraft to the departure airport.