Pelican shreds F-111's nose

[Carsten Bauer]

Seriously, what was a pelican doing up at 2700ft???


http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...19/2221547.htm

An RAAF F-111 jet fighter was forced to make an emergency landing at the Amberley Air Base west of Brisbane after its nose was shredded in a mid-air collision with a pelican.

The F-111 was on a test bombing raid at about 900 metres altitude over Evans Head in northern New South Wales when the pelican reportedly hit the plane's nose and was sucked into one of its two engines.

Pictures show the aircraft's nosecone shredded by the impact, with bundles of fibreglass fibres hanging loose.

Airservices Australia, the Government-owned corporation which handles air traffic control, says the incident happened on April 11.

The jet flew back to Amberley where the two crew managed to land it without incident.

[Mick F]

2,700ft isn't very high. Pelicans can be anywhere up to 10,000ft, probably even more.

I've heard of a bird strike at FL140 before, so 2,700ft is nothing!

Floody

[Rod Sloan]

Originally Posted by Carsten Bauer

Seriously, what was a pelican doing up at 2700ft???

Admiring the view ?

[Bob C]

Could have been a lot worse and not really funny guys as the RAAF lost F111C, A8-133, at Evans Head on 29 September 1977 with two fatalities.

Whilst on a low level, high speed bombing run a large bird flew through the windscreen of A8-133. Although the crew escape module separed from the aircraft, it was outside the survival "envelope" and the crew was killed.

An F4E, 69-7203, was also lost at Evans Head on 16 June 1971. Although the cause was not confirmed, a birdstrike at low level may have been a factor.

[NickN]

Thats nothing.... check this out....

http://forums.jetphotos.net/showthread.php?t=43038

Wild Geese his a Beechcraft Premier at 6,000 metres!!!!

Dunno what that is in feet but it'd be around 18,000ft.

Makes you wonder.....

[Carsten Bauer]

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23563691-2,00.html

With photos of the damaged nosedome.

[NickN]

On a brighter note, residents living underneath the incident area were unexpectantly inundated with fried drumsticks, thighs and breast fillets.

There is always a positive to be found in these unfortunate events.

[Brenden S]

Smashed that radome like there is no tomorrow!

[Brian Wilkes]

Big mothers ain't there
27,000ft is there max crusing hight for them.
Cant under stand how the pilot of the jet didnt see the Pelicans contrails!

[NickN]

It would be hard for them to breathe at 27,000ft wouldn't it?