Stinson 108-2 pilot had a near midair collision with a flock of geese just after takeoff at gon.

Attributes
ACN	590625
Time
Date	200308
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gon.airport
State Reference	CT
Altitude	msl single value : 200
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : gon.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 16 flight time total : 995 flight time type : 720
ASRS Report	590625
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : birds
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 100 vertical : 50
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Environmental Factor

Narrative:

I departed on runway 5. After a takeoff roll of about 1000 ft or so, I broke ground. I saw a flock of geese on the left side of runway 5. The geese, numbering between 5 and 10, and, apparently startled by my departure, departed across the runway to the southeast. It appeared that they might intersect my flight path, so I steepened my climb to best angle of climb (vx) rather than best rate (vy). The geese passed below me from left to right. If geese are a common factor at gon, then ATC should keep an eye out for them and at least warn the pilots. I am not sure what can be done to really remedy the situation other than shooting the geese, which would have the local animal rights activists in an uproar. Geese seem to be smart enough to figure out what is a real threat and what is not. Explosive-type noisemakers may also cause a public uproar, since there is a fair amount of housing in and around gon, especially all those rich folks on the water-front spit of land below the departure end of runway 23. If this is a situation that the pilots have to live with, fine. But we should be warned.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: STINSON 108-2 PLT HAD A NMAC WITH A FLOCK OF GEESE JUST AFTER TKOF AT GON.

Narrative: I DEPARTED ON RWY 5. AFTER A TKOF ROLL OF ABOUT 1000 FT OR SO, I BROKE GND. I SAW A FLOCK OF GEESE ON THE L SIDE OF RWY 5. THE GEESE, NUMBERING BTWN 5 AND 10, AND, APPARENTLY STARTLED BY MY DEP, DEPARTED ACROSS THE RWY TO THE SE. IT APPEARED THAT THEY MIGHT INTERSECT MY FLT PATH, SO I STEEPENED MY CLB TO BEST ANGLE OF CLB (VX) RATHER THAN BEST RATE (VY). THE GEESE PASSED BELOW ME FROM L TO R. IF GEESE ARE A COMMON FACTOR AT GON, THEN ATC SHOULD KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THEM AND AT LEAST WARN THE PLTS. I AM NOT SURE WHAT CAN BE DONE TO REALLY REMEDY THE SIT OTHER THAN SHOOTING THE GEESE, WHICH WOULD HAVE THE LCL ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS IN AN UPROAR. GEESE SEEM TO BE SMART ENOUGH TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS A REAL THREAT AND WHAT IS NOT. EXPLOSIVE-TYPE NOISEMAKERS MAY ALSO CAUSE A PUBLIC UPROAR, SINCE THERE IS A FAIR AMOUNT OF HOUSING IN AND AROUND GON, ESPECIALLY ALL THOSE RICH FOLKS ON THE WATER-FRONT SPIT OF LAND BELOW THE DEP END OF RWY 23. IF THIS IS A SIT THAT THE PLTS HAVE TO LIVE WITH, FINE. BUT WE SHOULD BE WARNED.

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.