July 28, 2009

Pilots have to watch out for the Canada geese over Queens. In Oklahoma, it’s the white pelicans.

The federal National Transportation Safety Board today said that the white pelicans hanging around the Wiley Post airport in Oklahoma City brought down a twin-prop Cessna 500 charter flight on takeoff, killing all five aboard on March 4, 2008.

The latest report on bird strikes was expected to figure in hearings on funding for the Federal Aviation Administration in major transportation bills working their way through Congress.

“While the Board has determined that it was the bird strike that brought down this airplane,” said Acting NTSB Chairman Mark V. Rosenker, “this investigation also uncovered improper and noncompliant charter operations that should have been identified and discontinued by the FAA.”

In a string of recommendations, the NTSB called on the FAA to come up better oversight of airport wildlife hazards.

Last Jan. 15, the skill of Capt. Chesley B. (Sully) Sullenberger averted disaster when US Airways Flight 1549 was hit by Canada geese on takeoff from LaGuardia Airport and came down in the Hudson River, saving all 155 aboard.