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 a near head-on collision with another aircraft during a return flight, primarily due to distractions from multiple unexpected encounters with large flocks of snow geese and reduced visibility in haze.
Despite prior radio calls and ADS-B warnings, the close call occurred as the pilot, distracted by the birds, made assumptions about the other pilot's awareness and intentions.
The incident highlighted critical lessons for pilots: maintaining vigilance for migratory birds regardless of the season, exercising extreme caution while flying in haze, never assuming other pilots hear or understand your position, and ensuring effective communication.

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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.