Bird strike in traffic pattern at non tower airport. Aircraft wing leading edge damaged. Pilot announced an emergency for landing over unicom for the benefit of any other aircraft that may have been nearby for landing.

Home

Browse by month

Random

Latest

About

Contact

Attributes
ACN	506450
Time
Date	200103
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : als.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ord.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 340/340A
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 47 flight time total : 2348 flight time type : 104
ASRS Report	506450
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : birds other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Environmental Factor

Narrative:

Encountered flock of what is assumed to be sandhill crane, 1 mi east of ALS at 2000 ft AGL, struck 1. Emergency was declared to arca traffic through unicom 122.8 and approach terminated without incident. Small transport was descending for landing. We had canceled our IFR clearance 5-10 mins before and was operating VFR at approximately 2000 ft AGL. We had just crossed midfield to enter the traffic pattern for runway 20 (left traffic) when we encountered a flock of unknown birds (8-12). 1 bird struck the right wing causing a large gash in the leading edge. We declared an emergency and continued in to land uneventfully.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BIRD STRIKE IN TFC PATTERN AT NON TWR ARPT. ACFT WING LEADING EDGE DAMAGED. PLT ANNOUNCED AN EMER FOR LNDG OVER UNICOM FOR THE BENEFIT OF ANY OTHER ACFT THAT MAY HAVE BEEN NEARBY FOR LNDG.

Narrative: ENCOUNTERED FLOCK OF WHAT IS ASSUMED TO BE SANDHILL CRANE, 1 MI E OF ALS AT 2000 FT AGL, STRUCK 1. EMER WAS DECLARED TO ARCA TFC THROUGH UNICOM 122.8 AND APCH TERMINATED WITHOUT INCIDENT. SMT WAS DSNDING FOR LNDG. WE HAD CANCELED OUR IFR CLRNC 5-10 MINS BEFORE AND WAS OPERATING VFR AT APPROX 2000 FT AGL. WE HAD JUST CROSSED MIDFIELD TO ENTER THE TFC PATTERN FOR RWY 20 (L TFC) WHEN WE ENCOUNTERED A FLOCK OF UNKNOWN BIRDS (8-12). 1 BIRD STRUCK THE R WING CAUSING A LARGE GASH IN THE LEADING EDGE. WE DECLARED AN EMER AND CONTINUED IN TO LAND UNEVENTFULLY.

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.