NORTH KINGSTOWN, RI, USA
N9931Q
CESSNA 172
THE PILOT BEGAN AN APPROACH TO RUNWAY 5 WITH THE WIND FROM 340 DEGREES AT 15 KNOTS. THE OTHER RUNWAY AT THE AIRPORT WAS ORIENTED ALONG A MAGNETIC BEARING OF 340 DEGREES. THE PILOT DID NOT REQUEST AN AIRPORT ADVISORY BEFORE THE APPROACH. AS THE AIRPLANE CROSSED THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD, NUMEROUS SEAGULLS FLEW IN FRONT OF IT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE BANKED RIGHT TO AVOID THE SEAGULLS, AND THE AIRPLANE STALLED. THE NOSE GEAR HIT THE GROUND, AND A GO-AROUND WAS ATTEMPTED. A GROUND WITNESS, A CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE 'HIT HARD' AND DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT. THE RIGHT WING CONTACTED THE GROUND, AND THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WERE REPORTED.
On September 19, 1993, about 0937 hours eastern daylight time, N9931Q, a Cessna 172, operated by the owner/pilot, impacted the ground after an uncontrolled descent following an approach to landing at the Quonset State Airport, North Kingstown, Rhode Island. The airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was filed. The personal flight departed from Marshfield, Massachusetts, about 0915 hours, and was conducted under 14 CFR 91. According to the pilot, the flight was on final approach to runway 5 when the pilot spotted a "large amount of sea gulls" flying in front of him near the runway threshold. The pilot stated that he banked right to avoid the birds, "which put the plane into stall mode and a rapid descent." He remembered hearing the stall warning horn. The nose gear hit the ground and the airplane veered to the right. The pilot attempted to go around, but the airplane "would not climb" and began to skid. The pilot stated that he then elected to perform a "controlled crash." According to an FAA aviation safety inspector, the airplane came to rest about 2,500 feet from the threshold of runway 5, and about 600 feet to the right of the runway 5 centerline. The propeller, firewall, nose gear, and the outboard sections of both wings were substantially damaged. The Quonset State Airport has another runway oriented along a magnetic bearing of 340 degrees. According to a ground witness, a certified flight instructor, the pilot of N9931Q never radioed for advisories for the active runway. The witness also stated that the winds were "fairly steady at 340 degrees at 12 to 15 miles per hour." The witness further stated: "I watched as the aircraft made a final approach to runway 5, flew through a flock of seagulls at approximately 100 feet above ground level, then failed to make a proper crosswind landing. After a hard landing, the aircraft drifted to the right. . . . the right wing contacted the ground and impact occurred." No mechanical malfunctions were reported.
THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY ALLOWED THE AIRPLANE TO STALL AS HE WAS MANEUVERING TO AVOID BIRDS ON FINAL APPROACH.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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