The student pilot reported that, during takeoff, a flock of birds crossed the runway from the right at the airport in Clewiston, Florida. He tried to climb and turn the Cessna 152 to the left to avoid hitting the birds, but some of the birds continued in front of the airplane.
The airplane drifted beyond the left side of the runway 10 to 15 feet above the grass. He aborted the takeoff, landed on the soft grass adjacent to the runway, and the airplane nosed over.
The student pilot further reported that, “the grass was so muddy that it was very hard to control the plane,” and “too much friction made my airplane flip over.”
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing.
The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable Cause: The student pilot’s maneuver to the left to avoid striking birds during takeoff and his subsequent loss of directional control after aborting the takeoff and landing on soft, muddy grass adjacent to the runway during, which resulted in a nose-over.
This June 2019 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Why isn’t the probable cause something directly specific to a flock of birds rather than the attempt to avoid the flock? The pilot’s report of what happened shows he could not see the birds before his attempt to take off — because they were hidden in the vegetation on the side of the runway.
Also, due to heavy rains, the ground to the side of the runway was saturated (and I think this runway is actually grass).
This pilot did everything he could (C150) to keep from stalling and losing control while avoiding the birds. If they had had an engine with another 20-30 hp, I think this outcome would have been very different. I think the NTSB rubber stamp people need to fly in one and find out how under-powered they are.
I’m not clearly understanding where the birds were coming from. Was the flock going right to left in relation to the airplane?
What kind, size of birds? How big a flock?
It says crossing from the right. He turned left, common traffic mistake of turning into the accident path.
Agreed. Turn were the obstacle was, not.where it is going.
Maybe Sporty’s will make some T shirts that say ” BIRDS KILL PEOPLE “