- Date
- September 9, 2004, 19:37 local (23:37 UTC)
- Place
- Nashua, NH
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8463SCessna 182H
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report April 28, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO-05
- Case key
- 60119
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
An in flight collision with birds while landing. A factor was the night conditions.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot completing a local sunset flight, and was returning to the airport at night. While the airplane was in the landing flare, it struck eight geese. The pilot was able to complete the landing; however, both wings sustained substantial damage.
Factual narrative
On September 9, 2004, at 1937 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 182H, N8463S, was substantially damaged while landing at Boire Field (ASH), Nashua, New Hampshire. The certificated private pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot stated that after completing a local "sunset" flight, he was cleared to land on runway 32 at ASH. During the landing flare, about 500 feet beyond the approach end of the runway, the airplane struck eight geese. The pilot was able to complete the landing; however, both wings sustained substantial damage.
The reported weather at ASH, at 1950, was: wind from 190 degrees at 10 knots; visibility 7 miles; broken ceiling at 2,400 feet; overcast ceiling at 3,000 feet; temperature 78 degrees F.; dew point 73 degrees F.; altimeter 29.83 inches Hg.
Review of U.S. Naval Observatory data revealed that the sunset occurred at 1906, and the end of civil twilight was 1934.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8463S
- Reported as
- Cessna 182H
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18256563
- Airframe hours
- 5,200
- Engine
- Continental O-470, 235 hp, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Allen L. Grinnel
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 15, 2004 · 50 hours before
- Departed
- ASH · Nashua, NH
- Destination
- ASH
- Airport
- ASH · Boire Field, runway 32, 5,501 × 100 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 48
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- July 3, 2004
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 562 total · 200 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- 190° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,400 ft broken
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.82 inHg
- Observed at
- ASH