What banged the nose of NW Flight 478 at 18000 ft

www.earthfiles.com...
The Tampa Tribune reports, “The Northwest flight was descending (July 6, 2008) into Tampa International Airport at an altitude of 18,000 feet when the flight crew heard a ‘bang’ and then found the radar inoperative, said Kathleen Bergen of FAA Southern Region headquarters in Atlanta. Bergen said, ‘The crew did not report a bird strike, but did tell ATC [air traffic control] that the radome collapsed. The crew suspected a radome issue and slowed speed.’ ... Photographs of the dent on Northwest Flight 478 reveal a symmetrical circular pattern, but there is no sign of blood, which often is present after a bird strike. Also, the damage did not resemble the irregular pattern that lightning can cause on a radome.” The plane was repaired for Monday, July 7, 2008, service.




Radar damage picture indicates it hit a circular object..

On tv, they did say it was a bird. It happens.

Maybe it was Ruppel vulture 37000 feet >>
www.weirdspot.com...

The bar-headed goose can be found at close to 30,000 ft.

worst damage from birds can be seen in these pictures. no mystery here sorry.

reply to post by beastamerica


Neither of those pics is of the NW flight.

Birds can cause that much damage. Amazing.

I've had aircraft come back with paint stripped off, and the leading edge of their tail covered in small dents from flying through rain at altitude. A small piece of hail, a drop of rain, or a bird can do a LOT of damage at the speed they fly at.

i think people are failing to notice this part of the statement.
"a symmetrical circular pattern, but there is no sign of blood, which often is present after a bird strike."

this needs to be inspected further.