Enlarge By Eric Thayer, Reuters Flight 1549 was ditched in the Hudson River on Jan. 15 after it was disabled after hitting a flock of geese. WASHINGTON  The federal government plans to block public access to its records of aircraft and bird collisions such as the one that forced a US Airways jet to splashdown in New York's Hudson River in January. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says that the information could mislead the public and its release could prompt some airports and others not to report incidents, but the proposal is drawing sharp criticism from bird safety experts and public records advocates. Two months after a flock of geese snuffed out an Airbus A320's engines and forced it to ditch in the Hudson, the FAA filed a little-noticed proposal that would bar release of its extensive record of bird collisions dating back to 1990. "I'm flabbergasted that they don't have to report this," said Lucy Dalglish, executive director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. The FAA move runs counter to President Obama's efforts to encourage release of government records, said Dalglish, a frequent flier who wondered after the Hudson accident how often birds caused such problems. Paul Eschenfelder, an airline pilot who teaches a course in airport bird management, said a string of recent accidents suggests the risks from birds is increasing and the FAA has not done enough to address the problem. "Keeping (the data) secret is not helping at all," he said. The FAA releases annual summaries of reported collisions with all kinds of wildlife. There were 7,439 collisions in 2007, mostly involving birds, up from 5,872 in 2000. In its proposed rule change, the FAA said that the wildlife collision reports should receive the same protections as other voluntary reporting systems designed to promote safety. If the data is released, some airports may hesitate to make reports, said spokeswoman Laura Brown. The data also could "produce an inaccurate perception" of the risks, the government filing in the Federal Register said. The government estimates that only 20% of incidents involving commercial aircraft are reported under the current system. In 1999, the National Transportation Safety Board urged the FAA to require that pilots report bird collisions to improve the data. The agency refused. The public has until April 20 to comment on the FAA proposal. Guidelines: You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. Read more