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BE55 pilot reports being struck by wind farm propeller blades while attempting to maintain VFR 10 NM north of destination.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 781213 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200804 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzzz.airport |
| State Reference | FO |
| Altitude | msl single value : 700 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Weather Elements | Fog |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : zzzz.tracon tower : zzz.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Baron 55/Cochise |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 41 flight time total : 7383 flight time type : 1400 |
| ASRS Report | 781213 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : nmac inflight encounter other other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Consequence | other other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
I was flying on VFR plan. About 20 mi from my destination; ATC asked me to fly parallel to the runway but to the north by about 10 mi to avoid IFR traffic on direct approach. The conditions were good VFR on top of isolated fog in my area but clear overhead the airport. I listened to ATIS who gave 1300 ft ceiling and 10 mi and once past a tall mast 1000 ft I descended to 1000 ft expecting to see the ground clearly at any moment. I saw it from time-to-time and continued to descend and at 500 ft on the altimeter; not seeing the ground clearly; I realized how low I was and initiated a climb. Just after; I saw the large propeller of a wind farm and a second later I hit it with the left wing and a fraction of a second later hit the right wing on an adjacent propeller. The blows were at the extremity of the wingtips. The airplane flew normally and I landed without any control problems. The damage to the aircraft is minimal and requires replacement of 2 wingtips. I informed the airport police and the auths. The wingtips have been recovered and on preliminary inspection no damage has been seen on the wind farm propellers.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: BE55 PILOT REPORTS BEING STRUCK BY WIND FARM PROPELLER BLADES WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAINTAIN VFR 10 NM NORTH OF DEST.
Narrative: I WAS FLYING ON VFR PLAN. ABOUT 20 MI FROM MY DEST; ATC ASKED ME TO FLY PARALLEL TO THE RWY BUT TO THE N BY ABOUT 10 MI TO AVOID IFR TFC ON DIRECT APCH. THE CONDITIONS WERE GOOD VFR ON TOP OF ISOLATED FOG IN MY AREA BUT CLR OVERHEAD THE ARPT. I LISTENED TO ATIS WHO GAVE 1300 FT CEILING AND 10 MI AND ONCE PAST A TALL MAST 1000 FT I DSNDED TO 1000 FT EXPECTING TO SEE THE GND CLEARLY AT ANY MOMENT. I SAW IT FROM TIME-TO-TIME AND CONTINUED TO DSND AND AT 500 FT ON THE ALTIMETER; NOT SEEING THE GND CLEARLY; I REALIZED HOW LOW I WAS AND INITIATED A CLB. JUST AFTER; I SAW THE LARGE PROP OF A WIND FARM AND A SECOND LATER I HIT IT WITH THE L WING AND A FRACTION OF A SECOND LATER HIT THE R WING ON AN ADJACENT PROP. THE BLOWS WERE AT THE EXTREMITY OF THE WINGTIPS. THE AIRPLANE FLEW NORMALLY AND I LANDED WITHOUT ANY CTL PROBS. THE DAMAGE TO THE ACFT IS MINIMAL AND REQUIRES REPLACEMENT OF 2 WINGTIPS. I INFORMED THE ARPT POLICE AND THE AUTHS. THE WINGTIPS HAVE BEEN RECOVERED AND ON PRELIMINARY INSPECTION NO DAMAGE HAS BEEN SEEN ON THE WIND FARM PROPS.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.