Small Aircraft; Low Wing; 1 Eng; Fixed Gear
Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 5.2; Flight Crew Total 588; Flight Crew Type 96
Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Inflight Event / Encounter Bird / Animal
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach; General Maintenance Action
Environment - Non Weather Related
I canceled my IFR flight plan when I had 26N in sight. I called UNICOM for the latest winds during my 45 degree entry for a right downwind for 24. While on final; I had to sideslip to perform a crosswind landing. I transitioned from descent to leveling off and as I lifted my nose up to flare; out of nowhere; a flock of geese crossed my flight path from the left. Some were flying; some were walking underneath the plane. One goose struck my windshield on the pilot's side and deflected to the left. My view ahead and of the runway was obstructed during this time and more geese were still coming at the plane. In the split seconds as the goose deflected off the windshield and I regained my view of the runway; I noticed that I had lost longitudinal alignment with the runway. I'm not sure that I had touched the ground yet; my nose was up; and the plane was veering toward the right side of the narrow (60 FT) and short (2;977 FT) runway. I didn't think it would be wise to let the nose down and try to correct the direction of the plane back toward the center of the runway since I was so close to the right side. I thought I might run off the runway. The geese had cleared in front of me; but I saw geese still coming from the left and going under my wings; so I decided to power up; get some altitude to get away from them and go-around. On downwind I asked UNICOM to go to the runway and insure there were no geese. Their truck was on the runway as I turned final and then they left the runway. I landed the plane uneventfully and taxied to the parking area and shut down. While tying down the plane; I noticed that the beacon was torn off the tail and hanging to the left and there were three dents from either side in the rudder. There was blood over the wheel pants; leading edges of the wings; and the underbelly of the plane. The Airport Manager reported the strike to the FSDO and they grounded the plane until inspected for airworthiness. It was deemed not airworthy because of the dented rudder. The lineman on duty told me after the incident; that after I called in for the wind report; he went to the runway to be sure there were no birds there as part of their protocol and said it was clear.
General aviation pilot reports encountering a flock of geese during the flare for landing at 26N. After several impacts a successful go-around is initiated. The next landing is uneventful although the aircraft is found to have dents in the rudder on post flight.