A Flock of Geese Triggers Another Hazard

When hazy conditions combine with clouds of snow geese, a pilot learns the value of over communicating and ADS-B.

Michael Van Wallis

Thursday, January 06, 2022 at 12:30 PM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

A pilot experienced multiple hazards, including unexpected large flocks of snow geese and a near head-on collision, during a return flight over the Mississippi River in hazy conditions.
The near-collision was exacerbated by distractions from bird avoidance and the pilot's assumption that another aircraft understood his reported position and intentions.
Key takeaways emphasize the importance of constant vigilance for migratory birds year-round and exercising extreme caution when flying in haze.
The incident strongly highlighted the critical need for effective communication among pilots and never making assumptions about others' awareness or intentions.

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Most pilots don’t need an excuse to go fly on a calm, sunny Saturday morning, but on this particular day, I had a good one. The plan was for my Cessna 172 to be part of a four-airplane formation, launching from St. Louis Downtown Airport (KCPS) at about 10 a.m. to fly over a parade in St. Louis, Illinois. The event was a peace march organized by the widow of David Dorn, a retired Black St. Louis police captain killed by looters on June 2, 2020,while he was protecting a friend’s pawn shop during the unrest following the death of George Floyd.

My VFR flight started an hour earlier from Smartt Field (KSET) near St. Charles, Missouri, which is just a short 20-minute hop from the west. After landing at KCPS and meeting the other three pilots, we took off in quick succession, with permission and coordination from the tower. Shortly after takeoff, the local controller handed us over to St. Louis Tracon, which then coordinated the flyover above the parade route.