Private pilot of a cessna 172 took evasive action to avoid a large flock of birds by turning and div...

Attributes
ACN	484563
Time
Date	200009
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : s50.airport
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 200 agl bound upper : 900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 24 flight time total : 127 flight time type : 101
ASRS Report	484563
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : birds non adherence : far non adherence other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Environmental Factor

Narrative:

Near bird strike. Flying at about 1200 ft MSL over an uncongested area, large flock of birds (over 100) climbed into my flight line heading my direction. Dusk was upon us and I had trouble picking them up visually. Within a second they were in complete view and I made immediate evasive action down and to the right, very steeply to avoid a strike. Brought my power to idle and kept my nose down until clear of birds. My airspeed was high and I slowly raised nose to avoid structural damage. My altimeter read close to 500 ft MSL, which was close to 200 ft AGL. I began an immediate climb to safely avoid all terrain and maneuvered above a flat football field to avoid all obstacles above ground. I proceeded back to 1200 ft MSL and back to auburn. I also feel that bird strikes and pilot awareness needs to be stressed more. I felt I was lucky to remain at a safe altitude but my pilot awareness could have improved. Stress, night flying and off center viewing more.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF A CESSNA 172 TOOK EVASIVE ACTION TO AVOID A LARGE FLOCK OF BIRDS BY TURNING AND DIVING THE ACFT DURING DUSK LIGHTING CONDITIONS.

Narrative: NEAR BIRD STRIKE. FLYING AT ABOUT 1200 FT MSL OVER AN UNCONGESTED AREA, LARGE FLOCK OF BIRDS (OVER 100) CLBED INTO MY FLT LINE HEADING MY DIRECTION. DUSK WAS UPON US AND I HAD TROUBLE PICKING THEM UP VISUALLY. WITHIN A SECOND THEY WERE IN COMPLETE VIEW AND I MADE IMMEDIATE EVASIVE ACTION DOWN AND TO THE R, VERY STEEPLY TO AVOID A STRIKE. BROUGHT MY PWR TO IDLE AND KEPT MY NOSE DOWN UNTIL CLR OF BIRDS. MY AIRSPD WAS HIGH AND I SLOWLY RAISED NOSE TO AVOID STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. MY ALTIMETER READ CLOSE TO 500 FT MSL, WHICH WAS CLOSE TO 200 FT AGL. I BEGAN AN IMMEDIATE CLB TO SAFELY AVOID ALL TERRAIN AND MANEUVERED ABOVE A FLAT FOOTBALL FIELD TO AVOID ALL OBSTACLES ABOVE GND. I PROCEEDED BACK TO 1200 FT MSL AND BACK TO AUBURN. I ALSO FEEL THAT BIRD STRIKES AND PLT AWARENESS NEEDS TO BE STRESSED MORE. I FELT I WAS LUCKY TO REMAIN AT A SAFE ALT BUT MY PLT AWARENESS COULD HAVE IMPROVED. STRESS, NIGHT FLYING AND OFF CTR VIEWING MORE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Private pilot of a cessna 172 took evasive action to avoid a large flock of birds by turning and diving the aircraft during dusk lighting conditions.