From: rkaplan@netcom.com (Richard Kaplan)
Subject: Comments Invited on Battery Drain and Bird Strike
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1992 05:10:13 GMT

I had a couple of new experiences flying this weekend.  I
would be open to comments as to how others might have
handled the same situations.

1.  Attempting to return to RST from the MSP fly-in
in my club's Warrior, I discovered the battery to be
drained partially (though the master was not left on).  The
radios operated normally but the starter would not engage.
FBO connected the aircraft to an external power
source and it started up.  On startup, the
alternator ammeter read somewhat higher than
usual, indicating the battery was likely recharging.
All electrical equipment appeared to function
normally, including radios and electric fuel
pump and electric turn coordinator.

At this point, I considered not returning home
until a mechanic could thoroughly test out
the electrical system.  I could be that some
device were draining the battery.  However, this
was to be a 65 nm day VFR flight over a route
I know very well with several intermediate 
airports to land at if necessary.  The only 
essential electrical equipment onboard is the
electrical backup fuel pump (and that operated
fine prior to takeoff).

Given the above, the flight home seemed
reasonable to me.  What do you think?


2.  Tonight I took a colleague/prospective pilot
up for a first flight in a C-172.  After some
local touring, we headed for Austin, Minnesota (AUM)
to do some touch and go landings at this
4800 foot paved uncontrolled field 30 miles
from RST.  The flight was uneventful until on 
base leg at 800 AGL and 85 knots with 20
degrees of flaps I heard an unusual knocking in
front of the plane and then saw what appeared to
be a moderate sized goose bounce off the cowling
from beneath the prop.  The aircraft banked
transiently but appeared to respond appropriately
to all flight controls.

My first dilemma was whether to continue the landing
at this uncontrolled, probably unattended airport
with a possibly damaged aircraft that appeared to
be performing normally.  If I were to return to
Rochester full emergency equipment would be available,
whereas there might not be anyone on field at Austin
to even notice a crash.  On the other hand, I was 
in the pattern to an airport at 800 AGL with 
flaps partially extended and although the aircraft
appeared to function normally, I could not be sure
it would climb as usual.  (There was not sufficient
time to contact flight service while completing
the landing or going around.)  I elected to 
do a full stop landing at Austin.  The landing
proceeded uneventfully, and upon landing 
there was no visible damage whatsoever
outside or inside the cowling, nor were there
even any feathers or other evidence of impact.

My second dilemma now was whether to return
to Rochester or to keep the aircraft in Austin
overnight pending a mechanic's official blessing.
The aircraft had effectively been flight tested
after the initial impact, with no noticeable
abnormalities, and it had been extensively inspected
by me on the ground without any evidence of damage
whatsoever.  I therefore chose to return back
to Rochester (without incident), though I
wonder if some others might have been more
conservative.

As a final question, does anyone have any 
thoughts on what else I could have hit
besides a bird?  Clearly I did not hit an 
aircraft.  I cannot imagine any objects
which would be thrown from the ground up to 800 AGL. 
There are no aerial balloons or cables in the
area (this was on approach to an airport).  
There is no skydiving in this area.  There
were no NOTAMs for the day.  Any other thoughts?

All in all.... an interesting weekend (not to 
mention the MSP fly-in).

-- 
Richard Kaplan M.D.           Medical Software Exchange BBS
806 2nd St. SW # 104          (507) 281-1989 14,400 HST
Rochester, MN  55902          (507) 281-1689 Voice
PP-ASEL-IA     N4VRB          rkaplan@mayo.edu|netcom.netcom.com  
From: scott@hplvec.LVLD.HP.COM (Scott Turner)
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 18:07:24 GMT
Subject: Re: gear-down check
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Co., Loveland, CO