Pilot Debrief

LANCAIR COMPANY LC42-550FG near Ocean City, NJ — 2009-07-04

Final reportERA09LA384
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Date
2009-07-04
Location
Ocean City, NJ, USA
Airport
26N
Aircraft
LANCAIR COMPANY LC42-550FG
Registration
N6502A
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Landing

Probable cause

An in-flight collision with birds during landing. Contributing to the accident was the airport's lack of a wildlife mitigation program.

Contributing factors

Contributing to the accident was the airport's lack of a wildlife mitigation program.

NTSB narrative

While landing at his destination airport, the pilot observed two Canada geese emerge from the grass beside the runway. The airplane struck the geese with the propeller and right main landing gear, then veered off the runway and struck a concrete runway light mounting pad. Postaccident examination revealed damage to the propeller, engine cowling, and composite structure of the airframe, as well as damage to the nosewheel and main landing gear. The airport experienced 55 aircraft operations a day with 60 percent of the operations involving transient aircraft. The airport was also located next to a marsh, and the airport, marsh, and an adjacent golf course had approximately 30 Canada geese permanently inhabiting the area. No warning regarding birds being on or in the vicinity of the airport was published in the airport facility directory, nor was a warning recorded on the airport's automated weather advisory system. No fencing was present to keep geese from walking onto the airport from the marsh, and the airport did not have a formal wildlife mitigation program.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Environmental
First missed decision gate
Implementing a wildlife mitigation program before the accident.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 9 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents9

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