Avian Fatality Reported in 'Suicidal Attack'

On Sunday, members of a little-researched bird gang apparently conspired to keep a Gates Learjet 25 from leaving the Groton (CT) airport. Throwing aside personal concerns, and oblivious to the danger his or her desperate act posed, at least one of the flying gang, believed to have a base near the runway, recklessly flew directly into the mouth of one of the plane's engines, during the takeoff roll.

The valiant but misguided critter never saw the result of its attack: the Lear (file photo) had to stop, its hissing, smoking form a testament to the last act of the fully-feathered, yet obviously stupid, bird.

The bizjet couldn't get stopped in time, and itself rushed to safety in the swampy area off the end of the runway. Witnesses were not in agreement as to whether the plane had actually left the ground. The plane was towed out of the swamp with no obvious damage.

Local residents, of course, continue their complaining about the noise the planes make...

This was the second Lear incident out of Groton inside two weeks. On August 4, a Lear 35 hit a house near the airport, killing both the crewmen aboard.

**   Report created 8/19/2003   Record 10  **
IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 25FM        Make/Model: LJ25      Description: GATES LEAR JET 25
  Date: 08/17/2003     Time: 1747
  Event Type: Incident   Highest Injury: None     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Minor
LOCATION
  City: GROTON   State: CT   Country: US
DESCRIPTION
  MIAMI VALLEY AVIATION OF MIDDLETOWN, OH, N25FM, LJ25, ATTEMPTED TO DEPART ON RUNWAY 5 WHEN AIRCRAFT STRUCK A NUMBER OF BIRDS, ABORTED AND RAN OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY, GROTON, CT
INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   0
                 # Crew:  2     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   5     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
WEATHER: GON METAR 171756Z 05009KT 9SM CLR 22/21 A2986
OTHER DATA
  Activity: Business      Phase: Take-off      Operation: Air Taxi (On Demand)
  Departed: MIDDLETOWN, OH              Dep Date: 08/17/2003   Dep. Time: 1430
  Destination: GROTON, CT               Flt Plan: IFR          Wx Briefing: Y
  Last Radio Cont: ON RUNWAY 5
  Last Clearance: CLRD FOR TAKEOFF
  FAA FSDO: WINDSOR LOCKS, CT  (NE03)             Entry date: 08/18/2003