Wildlife Strikes to Civil Aircraft in the United States, 1990–2019

Aircraft collisions with birds and other wildlife (wildlife strikes) have become a growing concern for aviation safety in recent years. Factors that contribute to this threat are increasing populations of large birds and increased air traffic by quieter, turbofan-powered aircraft. Globally, wildlife strikes killed more than 292 people and destroyed over 271 aircraft from 1988 - 2019. This report presents a summary analysis of data from the National Wildlife Strike Database (NWSD) for the 30-year period, 1990 through 2019. A sample of 20 significant wildlife strikes to civil aircraft in the USA during 2019 is also included as Appendix A. Appendix B explains how to report strikes and the role of the Smithsonian Institution Feather Lab in identifying bird and other wildlife species that are struck. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) activities for mitigating wildlife strikes include making improvements to the NWSD and outreach, incorporating new technology to increase and simplify strike reporting, and providing Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funding to airports to conduct Wildlife Hazard Assessments and develop Wildlife Hazard Management Plans.

• Record URL:
  https://www.airporttech.tc.faa.gov/Products/Airport-Safety-Papers-Publications/Airport-Safety-Detail/ArtMID/3682/ArticleID/2853/Wildlife-Strikes-to-Civil-Aircraft-in-the-United-States-1990-2019
• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/58293
• Corporate Authors:

  Federal Aviation Administration

  Airport Safety and Standards Office
  Washington, DC  United States  20591

  Department of Agriculture

  Wildlife Services
  Washington, DC  United States 
• Authors:
  • Dolbeer, Richard A
  • Begier, Michael J
  • Miller, Phyllis R
  • Weller, John R
  • Anderson, Amy L
• Publication Date: 2021-2

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 124p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air transportation crashes; Airports; Aviation safety; Bird strikes; Civil aircraft; Fatalities; Trend (Statistics)
• Geographic Terms: United States
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01773805
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: DOT/FAA/TC-21/11
• Contract Numbers: DTFACT-14-X-00007
• Files: NTL, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT
• Created Date: Jun 7 2021 9:44AM